Emperor Rudd has NO Clothes

We need to act quickly to tell our local member Warren Snowden that we are not happy with the government’s disappointing emission reduction targets. Members need to act quickly to try for a better set of targets before the final laws are sent to parliament in May.
Kevin Rudd announced his Carbon Pollution Reduction (CPRS) Targets in the lead up to Christmas. While based in the Garnaut Reports recommendations, scientists and environment groups have by and large been dismayed by the weakness of the 5% reduction on 2000 levels by 2020. The science is telling us that we need about a 25% reduction on 1990 GHG emission levels by 2020 to help us achieve the 80 to 90% reductions in emissions needed to minimise the risk of global warming exceeding 2 degree by the end of this century.
The science is also beginning to show that global warming is running along the upper edge of the IPCC model scenarios. There was more arctic ice loss last northern summer than expected and methane may be beginning to leach from the permafrost at increasing rates. All of this suggests that the situation is more serious than previously thought.
Australia Institute analysis warns that the current CPRS will in fact do nothing to actually reduce emissions. The trading regimen will allow carbon credits bought from low emitters to be used by high emitters with no overall change in emissions.
Various other strategies are required. The cap on emissions must be rapidly reduced. Caps have to have enforceable sanctions for failure to achieve them. Incentives to reduce emissions and develop green energy options need to deployed.
One proposed mechanism is “tax and 100% dividend” where carbon emissions are taxed and the money derived rebated equally to all citizens. Thus big users pay more and everyone benefits, with more benefit going to low emitters.
We have only a very narrow window of opportunity to limit dangerous environmental damage.
In Australia the current priority is to get Rudd to reconsider his position before the CPRS is legislated in the May sittings. It may or may not be possible to get much change but for the sake of the environment we have to try.