PM's carbon scheme `will not work'

Sunday Telegraph
Sunday 14/6/2009 Page: 2

RALLYING activists blockaded the Prime Minister's Sydney office yesterday protesting against the Rudd government's response to climate change. Streets were blocked off as protesters marched from the harbour to Kevin Rudd's city office, where they staged a short sit-in protest against the carbon emissions scheme. Families, young children and the elderly gathered in every state capital and Canberra dressed in red as part of the "climate emergency" message.

The rallies attracted about 6000 people nationally, and included environmental groups such as Greenpeace and the Wilderness Society, which want an emissions scheme ditched in favour of an alternative proposal - dubbed "Plan B" - which includes the phasing out of coal-fired power stations.

The protest movement also wants a switch to 100% renewable energy by 2020. Government legislation setting up the scheme is due to go before the Senate later this month during the next sitting, but the Coalition and the Greens have indicated they will block the bill.

Australian Greens climate change spokeswoman Christine Milne, who addressed 1200 activists in rain-soaked Hobart, said her party would block the Government's carbon emissions trading scheme (CPRS) unless it committed to 40% cuts by 2020. "What we need is a can-do mentality rather than listening to the people who say we can't do it," Senator Milne said. The Australian Greens will oppose the CPRS legislation because the target is not ambitious enough."

Meanwhile, NSW Greens upper house MP Lee Rhiannon told Sydney's 2000-strong crowd the Government's scheme would not cut reliance on fossil fuels. The world is on red alert. Urgent action is needed to rein in runaway climate change now," Ms Rhiannon said. The Prime Minister needs to recognise baby steps is not what is needed - we need the giant leap to a zero emissions future. We know that achieving that is not going to come with the carbon pollution reduction scheme - that's a scam."

As protesters chanted, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong went on radio to defend the Government's position. "Like the people who are at these rallies, this Government does want to take action on climate change," Senator Wong told ABC Radio. "The best way to take action on climate change is for senators to pass these laws that will for the first time reduce Australia's carbon pollution."

A leaked UN analysis, dated June 6, says that on conservative estimates, rich countries need to embrace 25 to 40% cuts in emissions by 2020, below 1990 levels, to give the world a chance of avoiding a 2C temperature rise. Labor is promising carbon cuts of 25% by 2020 if an ambitious climate change agreement is reached at the UN climate change talks at Copenhagen in December.

Australian National University earth sciences visiting fellow Andrew Glikson told the rally in Canberra that the Government's flagged emissions targets were inadequate. "Government listens to economists, they listen to corporations, they listen to lawyers. There are no scientists at that level." Dr Glikson said.