Low-cost answer to emission targets

Adelaide Advertiser
Saturday 16/2/2008 Page: 42

AUSTRALIA could make a 30 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 at a cost to households of less than $300 a year, says a report released yesterday. The report, from management consultants McKinsey and Company, found a 60 per cent reduction - using existing technologies - was also possible by 2030. It says Australia could cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent of 1990 levels by 2020 at a cost of $2.9 billion.

By using existing or evolving technologies, such as solar and wind power and geothermal but not geosequestration or nuclear energy, the government's 2050 reduction target could be reached 20 years earlier. Dr Stephan Gorner, a co-author of the report, estimated reductions could be achieved at a cost to each household of less than 80c a day - or just $290 a year. "We are recommending a set of actions which have to be taken by the government, by businesses and by the consumers," he said. "First of all we have to set a reduction target for 2020 and we have to fast-track the commercialisation of promising technologies." Dr Gorner said we must be motivated nationally to adopt carbon-reducing behaviour patterns.