Courier Mail
Friday 20/2/2009 Page: 23
A FEDERAL Government scheme that has spent millions of dollars fighting greenhouse gases did nothing to reduce overall emissions, a leading industry figure said. Australians who voluntarily spent money with the Government's Greenhouse Friendly carbon offset projects to cut their impact on the planet were simply "giving big polluters a free ride".
This was because the Government could sell the spare emissions created by voluntary action to another country which was producing excess emissions. Freddy Sharp, head of international renewable energy offset provider Climate Friendly, said the Government's scheme was "outdated and misleading", a further 1.26 million tonnes last year. Prices for carbon offsets vary but retail prices start from about $12 a tonne.
When the Greenhouse Friendly-accredited offsets are bought, they are used by the Government to show a reduction in national emissions, and the credits can then be traded with countries which may have overshot their targets.
Josh Harris, head of carbon markets for The Climate Group, a global coalition of government and industry groups, said Greenhouse Friendly offsets "were not benefiting the atmosphere". "If you want to help Australia meet its national greenhouse account, then those offsets have," he said. "But like most consumers, I'd want mine to benefit the atmosphere."
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