Carbon trading has problems

Carbon trading has been the focus of nine On Line Opinion articles since December 2005, setting out facts and arguments, pro and con, that policy makers could keep in mind.

Carbon trading benefits farmers who are paid to plant or to protect “offsets” and overseas countries likewise. It also benefits big polluters who can pay to continue polluting; many beneficiaries who gain jobs and profits (“Here's How To Get Your Piece of the Profits in the Early Going”) in brokering, administering and financing schemes; and governments who need to appear to be doing something, with all the Byzantine planning needed to get a carbon trading scheme in place by - when is it? 2010? 2020?

But faith in global carbon trading might, perhaps, be as misled as our recent belief that financiers knew what they were doing. Governments are urging consumption and “jobs” regardless, to prevent “economic suicide” now threatened largely as a result of financiers’ bungling.

Carbon permits up in the air.

Byline: John Breusch
Australasian Business Intelligence (August 18, 2008)(136 words) From General OneFile.

Aug 18, 2008 (The Australian Financial Review - ABIX via COMTEX) -- Australian Aluminium Council CEO, Ron Knapp, warned of the potential risks of carbon trading on 18 August 2008. Knapp joined Cement Australia CEO, Chris Leon, in calling for a review of the Australian Government's emissions trading plan, despite Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's pledge to protect heavy industry. Knapp said the maximum protection provided to trade-exposed companies under the scheme was likely to fall from 90 per cent to 60 per cent within 10 years, placing Australia at a global disadvantage.

AUSTRALIAN MINISTER TO KEEP MEETING LNG IND TO ALLAY ETS WORRIES

AsiaPulse News (July 28, 2008)(175 words)

CANBERRA, July 28 Asia Pulse - Australian Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson says he will continue to meet the liquified natural gas (LNG) industry to ensure its concerns about emissions trading are resolved.

Oil and gas producer Woodside Petroleum (ASX:WPL) has said the government's model for a carbon emissions trading system - released in a green paper - threatens two LNG projects offshore from Western Australia.

(AAP) 28-07 1841

New Zealand prepares for carbon emissions trading

Tomorrow Professor Ross Garnaut releases his much-anticipated draft report on the economic impact of carbon emissions trading. The federal government's own green paper in response will be out in another two weeks. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is sticking to his timetable of launching an emissions trading scheme in Australia by 2010. That might sound ambitious, but New Zealand is already well ahead of us in implementing a carbon trading scheme.

Guests
David Parker
New Zealand's Minister for Energy and Climate Change.

Reporter
Business Editor Sheryle Bagwell

Fed:Emissions debate kicking off

Fed:It's only just begun,emissions debate is kicking off

The reality of seeking to cut greenhouse pollution is only now starting to sink in.

The federal government wants to introduce emissions trading, which will put a price on carbon to try and force people to live greener lives, in two years' time.

The scheme could pose a major challenge for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his colleagues.

Carbon Trading 101

A carbon emissions trading scheme, it sounds like what we need for climate change but how exactly does it work?

Is it the same as a carbon tax?

And why do we need to set up a trade in greenhouse emissions?

Ian Lowe gives us a primer in emissions trading.


Guests
Professor Ian Lowe
President Australian Conservation Foundation

Further Information
Australian Conservation Foundation

Presenter
Richard Aedy

Producer
Amanda Armstrong

Story Researcher and Producer
Lindy Raine

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EMISSIONS FROM SCHOOLS WILL COUNT TOWARDS CARBON TARGETS

EMISSIONS FROM SCHOOLS WILL COUNT TOWARDS CARBON TARGETS
By admin on PublicNet

Carbon emissions from schools will be included in a carbon trading scheme for local authorities from the Spring of 2010. The move means that energy use in schools buildings will be counted in councils’ total emissions under the mandatory Carbon Reduction Commitment set up to encourage local authorities to reduce emissions.

Councils will now be expected to provide help and advice to schools cutting both their energy bills and their carbon footprints. The announcement was made by the Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, as new figures showed that nine out of ten children think their schools could take steps to tackle climate change.

“Bringing schools into the carbon footprint of local authorities taking part in this scheme will encourage greater energy efficiency, with children seeing the results in their own schools,” Mr. Benn said. Individual schools will simply have to supply information on their annual energy use to their local authority.

The survey of young people’s attitudes to climate change also found more than three-quarters of them believed it was due to human behaviour and the same number felt their own homes could use less energy. A third of respondents felt Britain was already being affected by climate change and 42 per cent said they were taking personal action to reduce emissions. Of those most are recycling or consciously creating less waste.

Mr. Benn said, “The enthusiasm and passion of young people for protecting the planet they will inherit gives us all hope for the future - and we have a duty both to live up to their expectations and to help make the changes we need.”

Supermarkets, hotel chains, universities, water companies and Government departments will be among about 5,000 large commercial and public sector organisations taking part in the reduction scheme. It will be revenue neutral, with the best performers being rewarded financially for their efforts.