Climate guru rubbishes emission targets

Courier Mail
Tuesday 10/3/2009 Page: 14

THE economist paid by Labor to help craft its climate change policies has attacked the Rudd Government for weak emissions targets and for pandering to big business. Professor Ross Garnaut, commissioned by Kevin Rudd in Opposition to put forward the best model to combat climate change, last night joined a growing queue of critics.

But while many, including big business and some politicians, have argued that the Government's emissions trading scheme (ETS) should be delayed and goes too far, Professor Garnaut said Australia's low targets would impact on the rest of the world.

"Vested interest seeking to influence the process is not illegitimate in our democracy, but it can lead to poor policy outcomes," Professor Garnaut told ABC's Four Corners. "We've made it very difficult for Australia to play a positive role in moving the world towards an ambitious outcome." The Government will release its draft legislation today but its targets will remain: 5 to 15% cut on 2000 levels by 2020, with an ETS start date of July 2010.

The Climate Institute Australia's chief executive officer John Connor said there was no doubt that the "dirty" end of town had won. "They were successful in dampening the ambition on Australia's emission reduction targets and in watering down the conditions requiring the major polluters to clean up their act," Mr Connor said.

Senator Barnaby Joyce said the Nationals would cross the floor even if Liberal Party MPs changed their mind and voted for the scheme in the Senate. "Professor Garnaut has the same belief as me that the ETS is a load of rubbish but for different reasons." he said.