Global emissions target is Australia's benchmark
“Australia needs to adopt a firm greenhouse reduction process that progressively increases annual emissions reductions”, the National President of Engineers Australia, Rolfe Hartley said.
“Engineers Australia believes that it is essential to set a target that is consistent with the findings of
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
“Climate change impacts will cost our economy whatever policies Australia adopts, but the first step is to move quickly to establish a soundly based emissions trading scheme. “The collective science and on-going research firmly points to the need to reduce global greenhouse emissions by 2050 by between 40 and 80 percent. Any further delays in determining a target, rather than getting on with solutions, is more wasted time that we don’t have. A target in this range requires only a minimal reduction in emissions of about 1 percent per year.
“While we need to balance the impact of meaningful action on global warming on our economy and
employment opportunities, the fact remains that a slightly slower growth of the Australian economy
stands in stark contrast to what may happen if the economy becomes smaller under the impacts of
climate change.
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