Back Garnaut or back off, WWF tells Opposition
04 Jul 2008
WWF has urged the Federal Opposition to end the cheap, political point-scoring and adopt a bipartisan approach to tackling the serious threat of climate change.
The conservation organisation today welcomed Professor Garnaut's report on Climate Change and applauded the Rudd Government for pushing ahead in the fight against global warming.
"The report's proposed economic reforms are the most important for 20 years and it is essential all of our leaders work together to tackle climate change," WWF CEO Greg Bourne said.
"Australia's response to this enormous challenge is at a critical juncture, and we cannot afford to have the Opposition undermine the emissions trading scheme for its own political ends.
"Our economy is strong so the responsible thing to do is act now while it is affordable. Any delay will result in irreversible damage to the environment and future economy."
WWF believes the Garnaut report got it right on key factors, such as the auctioning of pollution permits, including transport in an emissions trading scheme and a massive increase in funding for research and development and commercialisation of new low emission technologies including carbon capture and storage.
"Auctioning all permits is the only fair and transparent way to allocate carbon credits," Mr Bourne said. "Giving away free permits would shift the cost to families and small business.
"The public should not be expected to pay for unwise business decisions by electricity generators and other big polluters who have known they needed to act for nearly 20 years."
To ensure the integrity of the emissions trading scheme it must include petrol as 14 per cent of national emissions come from the transport industry.
"We're better off softening the impact by compensating low income earners and business through money raised from the emissions trading scheme," Mr Bourne said.
The increased cost of including petrol will be 4-8 cents a litre on bowser price, but leaving it out will increase costs elsewhere in the economy and the hip pocket.
"WWF believes we must give consumers the choice on where to spend their money while encouraging a shift towards low emission transport alternatives."
For more information
Charles Stevens, WWF-Australia Press Office
02 8202 1274, 0424 649 689
Paul Toni, Program Leader - Development and Sustainability
0410 086 986
