The ALP’s climate change emissions reduction target

Written By: - Date published: 9:04 am, November 30th, 2015 - 10 comments
Categories: climate change, Environment, global warming, sustainability - Tags: , , ,

Climate change airlines

In a week of massive climate change activism, Australian Labor will today proudly nail its colours to the mast.

Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will today reveal his party’s long-awaited post-2020 emissions reduction targets, after committing to tougher climate action than the coalition.Labor would aim to cut emissions by 45 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030, as part of a longer term plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Senior opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese says there will be extensive industry consultation before the target is set in March to determine Labor’s market-based mechanism.

“Business has recognised it is in their interest to move sooner rather than later to a carbon-constrained economy,” he told the Nine Network.

“The sooner you move the cheaper it is.”

Here’s a Labor Party that understands good principle, and great timing.

10 comments on “The ALP’s climate change emissions reduction target ”

  1. Matthew Hooton 1

    The ALP can say whatever it likes. It makes no difference to anything.

  2. tinfoilhat 2

    It will be fascinating to see how they propose to achieve this target – I wonder if it will take into account Australian coal exports ?

    • Matthew Hooton 2.1

      Under global CC rules, coal is counted where it is burned not where it is mined.

      This is the opposite of trees, which are counted where they are cut down (and assumed to immediately turn into a gas) not where they are turned into furniture, paper etc or burned.

      So a country that exports lots of coal is seen, under Kyoto rules anyway, as cleaner than one that exports lots of wooden furniture.

      • tinfoilhat 2.1.1

        Somewhat of a farce then ?

      • Nic the NZer 2.1.2

        1) What if the furniture exporting country imports the raw materials?

        “So a country that exports lots of coal is seen, under Kyoto rules anyway, as cleaner than one that exports lots of wooden furniture.”

        How does this follow given 1 above?

        • George Hendry 2.1.2.1

          Careful – this is Mr Hooton.

          No citation means he’s probably lying.

          Citation provided, he might still be lying.

          He started this thread with a lie.

          Motivation? To ridicule the Kyoto protocol and whatever might replace it.

          If you believe him, his pay goes up.

          If enough of us respond with raspberries, he might just get put on a zero hour contract. 🙂