Page 856 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 27 February 2013
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The primary focus of the plan is to set the territory on the path to meet the 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target. Achieving the 2020 target will establish a strong foundation for the achievement of the overall target of being carbon neutral or having zero net emissions by 2060. The implementation of the territory climate change strategy is already underway. I understand that Mr Corbell will provide an update on these actions shortly, but I note that key measures such as the government’s energy efficiency improvement scheme have recently commenced, which will reduce our emissions while also reducing energy bills for Canberra households.
Our policies to develop large-scale renewables in the territory are being implemented, as demonstrated by Mr Corbell’s announcement in September last year of Australia’s largest solar power generator, Royalla 1, due to be completed and generating emission-free electricity in a little over 12 months.
The ACT government acknowledges that placing a price on carbon, and ultimately a cap-and-trade emissions trading scheme, is the most effective mechanism to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions in the Australian economy. The carbon pricing scheme will support the efforts of the territory to reach our targets by reducing the emissions intensity of electricity supplied to the territory, increasing the competitiveness of renewable energy sources and increasing incentives for energy efficiency because of higher energy prices.
There is some talk at federal levels that a change of government might wind back carbon pricing. While this would be a significant setback for climate change policy in this country, notwithstanding that risk the ACT has put in place effective mechanisms to either support continuing carbon pricing or to continue to meet our own obligations, thus keeping pace with the rest of the world who are taking action.
The challenges posed by climate change are faced by everyone around the world and require concerted action by governments, businesses and households if we are able to avoid serious adverse environmental, economic and social consequences. Ultimately, climate change action will require cooperation and action at a national and international scale, but there is much that local jurisdictions can do.
This Labor government is committed to responsible and far-sighted action, informed by science, that will transition the ACT towards a carbon neutral territory that can adapt to a changing climate. Ours is a leadership role, not because we are doing more than we should, but because we are one of the few who are doing what we must.
We are demonstrating that an effective emission reduction pathway is achievable and that our efforts, although small in a global context, can and will have a positive impact in addressing the challenges of climate change. We know that to be true to our commitment to fairly contribute to the required global greenhouse gas abatement effort, the ACT must reduce emissions by 40 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020.
We also know that since 1990 our emissions have substantially increased to the extent that a 40 per cent reduction on 1990 levels requires an estimated 56 per cent reduction from current levels. Modelling for the plan shows that this reduction can be achieved.
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