ID :
36499
Fri, 12/19/2008 - 16:29
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/36499
The shortlink copeid
Garnaut attacks Rudd`s climate plan
The federal government's own climate adviser has savaged parts of its climate change plan, describing the assistance to big business as "over the top".
Professor Ross Garnaut said a massive lobbying exercise, unprecedented in Australianhistory, had secured an overly generous deal for business.
He was commenting on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's white paper on climate change, released earlier this week.
"I think it's over the top," he told AAP, in reference to the plan's support for big business.
"There's no doubt that the rate of return in lobbying has been very high."
However, Prof Garnaut said he would not describe himself as disappointed with the result from the government.
"When you've been through as much in life as I have, you roll with the punches," he said.
An analysis commissioned by environmentalists shows some of the biggest polluters are set to reap billions of dollars in assistance from emissions trading.
Mining giants Rio Tinto, BP, and Alcoa, along with Bluescope Steel, are set to earn $917 million between them in free permits in 2010, the first year of emissions trading.
Liquefied natural gas producer Woodside Energy, who campaigned stridently for more assistance, will net $50 million in free permits in 2010. Chevron, Exxon Mobil and Caltex will also get significant assistance.
Other companies are also expected to benefit from the assistance.
The analysis was conducted by financial information service Innovest for the
Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF).
ACF executive director Don Henry said taxpayers would be subsidising some of the
country's biggest polluters.
"This analysis suggests the big polluters got what they wanted from the white
paper," Mr Henry said.
He described emissions trading as a "pay-the-polluter" scheme.
The analysis also found four of Victorian's brown coal power stations will net $2.7
billion between them in free permits in the first five years of emissions trading.
But the mining industry rejected the ACF's argument, saying it would face the
world's highest carbon costs under Australia's scheme.
Minerals Council of Australia deputy chief executive Brendan Pearson said almost 90
per cent of Australia's mineral exports would face full carbon costs.
Exporters would pay something like 18 times as much for carbon permits as European
Union (EU) exporters. The EU is one of the few places in the world which already has
emissions trading in place.
And Mr Pearson said while Australian firms classified as emissions-intensive
trade-exposed are in line for extra assistance, they would still have to pay
something, while similar firms in the EU would not.
Mr Pearson also noted the money, which is being sent back to businesses and
households in the form of free permits and compensation, "does not come from
nowhere" - it comes from the sale of permits in the first place.
Professor Ross Garnaut said a massive lobbying exercise, unprecedented in Australianhistory, had secured an overly generous deal for business.
He was commenting on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's white paper on climate change, released earlier this week.
"I think it's over the top," he told AAP, in reference to the plan's support for big business.
"There's no doubt that the rate of return in lobbying has been very high."
However, Prof Garnaut said he would not describe himself as disappointed with the result from the government.
"When you've been through as much in life as I have, you roll with the punches," he said.
An analysis commissioned by environmentalists shows some of the biggest polluters are set to reap billions of dollars in assistance from emissions trading.
Mining giants Rio Tinto, BP, and Alcoa, along with Bluescope Steel, are set to earn $917 million between them in free permits in 2010, the first year of emissions trading.
Liquefied natural gas producer Woodside Energy, who campaigned stridently for more assistance, will net $50 million in free permits in 2010. Chevron, Exxon Mobil and Caltex will also get significant assistance.
Other companies are also expected to benefit from the assistance.
The analysis was conducted by financial information service Innovest for the
Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF).
ACF executive director Don Henry said taxpayers would be subsidising some of the
country's biggest polluters.
"This analysis suggests the big polluters got what they wanted from the white
paper," Mr Henry said.
He described emissions trading as a "pay-the-polluter" scheme.
The analysis also found four of Victorian's brown coal power stations will net $2.7
billion between them in free permits in the first five years of emissions trading.
But the mining industry rejected the ACF's argument, saying it would face the
world's highest carbon costs under Australia's scheme.
Minerals Council of Australia deputy chief executive Brendan Pearson said almost 90
per cent of Australia's mineral exports would face full carbon costs.
Exporters would pay something like 18 times as much for carbon permits as European
Union (EU) exporters. The EU is one of the few places in the world which already has
emissions trading in place.
And Mr Pearson said while Australian firms classified as emissions-intensive
trade-exposed are in line for extra assistance, they would still have to pay
something, while similar firms in the EU would not.
Mr Pearson also noted the money, which is being sent back to businesses and
households in the form of free permits and compensation, "does not come from
nowhere" - it comes from the sale of permits in the first place.
