Fixing the Flaws in Australia’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

Sun 22nd February 09 | 12:00pm - 12:50pm

Think tent

Consumer Action and Australia’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

Alan Pears & Dr Peter Christoff.

MC: Suzie Brown

A flaw in the Federal Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) means that, as it is currently planned, any consumer action such as buying Green Power or carbon offsets will be included in the scheme. This means it will be used by the large polluters to help them achieve the government’s emissions reductions targets (currently 5% by 2020). Household savings will allow industry to offset their own emissions, rather than them having to pay for and achieve their own emissions reductions.

"When emissions trading comes in, every tonne of carbon dioxide saved by households will simply free up a tonne that can be used by industry," said Richard Denniss, director of the Australia Institute.

"Installing solar hot water heaters, driving smaller cars and turning off the lights will not help the environment one bit," Mr Denniss said. "The only effective way for households to reduce Australia's carbon emissions will be to buy emissions permits and rip them up."

Join Alan and Peter to discuss the issue and what we can do about it – before the CPRS is finalised.

(Please note that Richard Dennis will not be able to attend this forum as originally advertised)

Alan Pears & Dr Peter Christoff

Alan Pears has been an Adjunct Professor at RMIT University since 2000, and lectures in the Environment and Planning stream in the School of Global Studies, Social Science & Planning. Alan has worked in the sustainable energy and environment fields since the late 1970s for community groups, government and the private sector. While working for the Victorian government in the 1980s, he helped develop and implement programs such as the Home Energy Advisory Service, public information and education, appliance energy labeling and mandatory building insulation regulations.

Since 1991, Alan has been co-director of Sustainable Solutions, an environmental consultancy, and has been involved in building energy and environmental rating and regulation, green building projects, educational software, green appliance development, industrial and business energy and environmental management, and policy analysis.

Dr Peter Christoff is the Vice President of the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Coordinator of Environmental Studies at the University of Melbourne. Peter has taught environmental politics and policy since 1997. Previously he worked as the Assistant to the Commissioner to the Environment in Victoria and, as a consultant, assisted in the establishment of the National State of Environment reporting program. Peter was also, formerly, a director of Greenpeace Australia-Pacific.