Climate change policy will give long-awaited direction
Engineers Australia views the Federal Government’s announcements today to address climate change issues as a positive approach to what has been a too long awaited direction for Australia.
The Chief Executive of Engineers Australia, Peter Taylor, said, “Instead of more talk about the problem of human-induced climate changes and what should be done about it, we welcome this blue-print for action, not just in Australia but also for Australia’s part in global negotiations.
“Recognising the Kyoto Protocol and setting a long term emissions reduction target were important first steps in the Government’s climate stabilisation agenda, but decisive action is about putting in place the mechanisms to reach this target.
“The importance of making a start by pricing carbon emissions from 2010 after so many years of
indecision should not be under-estimated.
“The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, and the policies and programs which will complement it, will fundamentally change how Australians use energy.
“The scheme will also strengthen Australia’s credibility in negotiations with other countries for a comprehensive international agreement to reduce global emissions, without which even the most ambitious Australian target will not halt rising temperatures.”
Engineers Australia supports decisive market based action to reduce greenhouse emissions and
strongly advocates bi-partisan action, as between now and 2050 there will be numerous parliaments and political change is inevitable.
“Without strong bi-partisan support for the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, Australian climate change policies would be in danger of falling back to the indecisiveness and lack of progress that has characterised the past with potentially disastrous consequences.
“While the scheme announced today will require more scrutiny and negotiations, endless debate about the scheme’s detail will be counterproductive and could further compromise an early start,” Peter Taylor concluded.
Further Information: John Bright – 0407 234 490 – jbright@engineersaustralia.org.au
Engineers Australia is the common name of the Institution of Engineers, Australia with a membership of over 86,000
