ACT to aim for zero gas target

Canberra Times
Tuesday 12/5/2009 Page: 1

The ACT Government will set an ambitious target of zero net greenhouse gas emissions in a bid to combat climate change. Environment Minister Simon Corbell said yesterday the target, outlined in the Government's submission to a Legislative Assembly Committee inquiry into gas emission reduction targets was realistic and necessary. "Achieving zero net emissions really mast be the ultimate goal of Government and of the Canberra community," Mr Corbell said. "It mast be an achievable goal.

We can't continue to sustain our quality of life and continue to emit the levels of carbon that we currently emit." Conceding it would be impossible to eliminate all emissions, the Government's proposal was three pronged: abatement, mitigation and offsets. That is, as well as reducing emissions, they would be "offset" through initiatives such as investing in tree planting and renewable energy.

The Government's submission said that in 2005 the ACT emitted more than four million tonnes of greenhouse gasses, or about 13.7 tonnes a person. Also, ACT emissions had grown by about 2.6% each year since 2000, and in 2006 were 15% above 2000 levels. The submission does not provide a timeline, framework or costings for achieving the zero net emissions goal, prompting concern among the ACT Greens.

Greens environment spokesman Shane Rattenbury said the Government needed to set a clear framework for achieving the target, which he believed could be achieved by 2050. "The Government's looking to be inspirational, but without a clear timeline they're only being aspirational," Mr Rattenbury said.

"We need clear timelines, a series of actual points that lead its to the zero net emission. It's not worth the paper it's written on without some clear interim targets." Mr Corbell said the Government would wait until the Standing Committee on Climate Change, Environment and Water, chaired by Greens leader Meredith Hunter, had reported to the Assembly with its recommendations and findings, which were due on July 31.

This would determine what timeline and policies were needed for the zero target, as well as what interim targets to legislate for. In 2007 the ACT Government unveiled its Weathering the Change action plan, which sought to reduce 2025 emission levels to those of 2000, and for 2050 emissions to be 60% less than 2000 levels.

Mr Corbell said the Assembly would almost certainly legislate for more aggressive targets, as all three parties were in favour of this. The Government's parliamentary agreement with the Greens, signed after last year's election, committed to legislating a greenhouse gas reduction target based on the committee's recommendations.

The Government's submission said the ambitious targets would inevitably result in higher costs to the community, noting, "The local economic impact of actions, such as increased business input prices, higher consumer prices, and ACT budgetary implications, will need to be weighed tip against the benefits of the ACT contributing to reducing climate change globally."

Mr Corbell said the ACT would not be pushing back the changes despite the tough economic climate, as changes were needed immediately. "I think the community expects its to act on this issue for the long term and to act on it quickly," Mr Corbell said.

"We will certainly do a very detailed analysis on the impact of targets on economic activity as part of formulating the Government's response to the committee inquiry, but the existing short term economic circumstances are not a reason to delay action on what is required now."