Turnbull aims to out-green Labor

(AAP) - The federal opposition has launched a green assault on the government, promising they would make deeper cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has signalled he intends to out-green Labor on
the crucial issue of climate change.
Mr Turnbull on Monday released some details of his long-awaited climate policy.
The government has promised to cut emissions by five to 15 per cent by 2020; the
opposition would commit to deeper cuts.
They would embark on a massive push to bury and store greenhouse gases.
But they would delay emissions trading and consider a carbon tax instead.
The policy has pleasantly surprised green groups, but deeper emissions cuts may
alarm business leaders.
"Certainly, we should cut our emissions by more than what (Prime Minister Kevin)
Rudd has proposed," Mr Turnbull told ABC Radio.
Opposition climate change spokesman Greg Hunt committed to "significantly more
ambitious targets for Australia than that proposed by the government".
The opposition won't name their target.
Mr Turnbull vowed to cut 150 million tonnes of emissions a year - about a quarter of
Australia's current emissions - by storing carbon in soil and plants. That means
planting trees, revegetation, soil carbon and biochar (turning plant material into
charcoal and storing it in the soil).
Mr Turnbull appeared to support emissions trading or a carbon tax, but said any
scheme must be delayed. Mr Rudd's scheme is due to start next year.
The opposition leader wants to wait for UN climate talks late this year, and for US
President Barack Obama to unveil his emissions trading scheme.
Mr Turnbull savaged Mr Rudd's climate policy.
"I don't know anyone that is happy with Mr Rudd's emissions trading scheme other
than him and (Climate Change Minister) Penny Wong," he said.
Senator Wong said Mr Turnbull's plan did not stack up and was a "mirage".
Hard economic reform was needed to cut emissions - and that required emissions
trading, she said.
She also cast doubt on whether it was feasible to cut 150 million tonnes of
emissions a year through storing carbon.
Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Tony Mohr was pleased with Mr
Turnbull's pledge to cut emissions by more, but called for details.
"The jury's out on which party could have a better climate change policy," Mr Mohr
said.
Meanwhile, a Senate inquiry into climate change and emissions trading seems likely.
The opposition wants to resurrect the government's aborted lower house inquiry into
whether emissions trading is the best way to cut Australia's emissions.
The Greens want to broaden this to include the latest science on whether the five to
15 per cent emissions cut would do enough to tackle climate change.
"A lot of (the science) is already in the public domain, it's just not in the brains
or the minds of the politicians in this place," Greens senator Christine Milne said.