It's time to focus our energy

Daily Telegraph
Tuesday 28/8/2007 Page: 2

Every morning of every day, we all start by using electricity. We boil the kettle for a cup of coffee or tea, make toast, and then jump into the shower and head to work. Electricity makes our lives so easy but the fossil fuels we rely on to produce it and to drive our cars are making our country sick. More than a century ago, when we first started using coal and oil, we didn't know the greenhouse gases they produced would heat the Earth dangerously. But we do now and we all must act to make sure future generations of Australians do not inherit a world damaged by climate change.

There is another incentive for us to find and use non-polluting sources of energy and electricity: fossil fuels are running out. While there are still more than 200 years of coal reserves left, less than 45 years of oil supplies exist. Australia's contribution to this global problem is significant. The value of our exports of energy resources in 2006-07 is about $45 billion. Australia is the fifth largest exporter of liquid natural gas; we will likely be the third largest by 2010. We are the world's largest coal exporter and the second-largest uranium producer.

The Australian Government's decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, which involves targets to reduce greenhouse emissions, was based on a fear that taking action to cut greenhouse gas emissions would harm our economy by exposing businesses to costs not faced by their international competitors.

But there is growing evidence that taking action has potential to provide substantial economic growth through new technologies such as wind, solar and geothermal, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Billions of taxpayers' dollars go to fossil fuel-burning industries each year in Australia, increasing the amount of emissions. As much as $10 billion in government subsidies went to coal, oil and gas companies in 2005-06, representing 96 per cent of all financial support given last year by our governments in the energy and transport sectors.

Research by The Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney, found government handouts to polluting industries also prevent new economic/job opportunities in the renewable energy sector, such as wind (above) and solar, which received only four per cent or about $330m in support. The energy and transport sectors are responsible for up to 70 per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions.

It is in these sectors that action to combat the impact of climate change is most urgently needed. One obvious response is to shift government funding from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources that don't make greenhouse gas; wind energy, bioenergy and solar. By removing subsidies for fossil fuels and instead supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency we could level the playing field and reduce our greenhouse pollution. We would also help save our Earth.