Extract from The Guardian
Australia Institute will launch advertising campaign debunking assertion that 45% target would wreck economy
The Business Council of Australia will find itself the target of a
negative advertising campaign for declaring that an emissions reduction
target of 45% would wreck the Australian economy.
With Labor planning to go to the federal election with an emissions reduction target of 45%, and the Coalition spoiling for a partisan fight, the progressive thinktank the Australia Institute will invest campaign resources in debunking a claim from the BCA that the proposed target is “economy-wrecking”.
In public statements in support of the Coalition’s now dumped national energy guarantee, a policy that included an emissions reduction target of 26% by 2030, the BCA described that level of abatement as “workable” but characterised Labor’s 45% alternative as “economy wrecking”.
The Morrison government is also gearing up to campaign against the 45% target.
The new prime minister – who has dumped the Neg and its roadmap for emissions reduction in the electricity sector, prompting a backlash from energy stakeholders, business and climate groups – has been ratcheting up the rhetoric on Labor’s target, declaring earlier this month a 45% target would increase power prices by “an estimated $1,400 per household”.
The Australia Institute’s advertisements will appear online on Thursday and then screen on Sky News from next week and then breakfast commercial TV.
Its executive director, Ben Oquist, said it was important to ensure debates about public policy were fact-based.
“There is simply no evidence for the BCA’s claim that a 45% emissions target would be an economy wrecking target,” he said.
Oquist said a 45% target for the electricity sector was the minimum level of emissions reduction required for Australia to meet its Paris obligations in an economically efficient manner.
Scott Morrison said Australia would remain in the Paris agreement, and would meet its commitment to reduce emissions across the economy by 26% “in a canter”, but it is unclear how the commitment will be delivered given emissions are rising, a consistent trend since the repeal of the carbon price.
Oquist said the Coalition “will need to announce serious emissions reduction policies if it is to have any hope of reaching the Paris target. Without those policies it will have no credibility and is simply paying lip service to climate change.”
Recent research funded by the Australian Council of Social Service (Acoss) and the Brotherhood of St Laurence found power prices for households would fall by 2030 under four scenarios modelled by Frontier Economics”: business as usual and emissions reduction targets of 26%, 45% and 65%.
The latest renewable energy index compiled by Green Energy Markets has also confirmed previous analysis by the Energy Security Board that wholesale electricity prices are on the way down because of a big build of renewable energy coming on stream.
With the Wentworth byelection in play, the independent hoping to force an upset in the seat, Kerryn Phelps, has warned climate change is a significant issue on the ground. She has predicted the lack of climate action would be a significant problem for the Liberals in the federal election because of the government’s “complete paralysis on this issue”.
With Labor planning to go to the federal election with an emissions reduction target of 45%, and the Coalition spoiling for a partisan fight, the progressive thinktank the Australia Institute will invest campaign resources in debunking a claim from the BCA that the proposed target is “economy-wrecking”.
In public statements in support of the Coalition’s now dumped national energy guarantee, a policy that included an emissions reduction target of 26% by 2030, the BCA described that level of abatement as “workable” but characterised Labor’s 45% alternative as “economy wrecking”.
The Morrison government is also gearing up to campaign against the 45% target.
The new prime minister – who has dumped the Neg and its roadmap for emissions reduction in the electricity sector, prompting a backlash from energy stakeholders, business and climate groups – has been ratcheting up the rhetoric on Labor’s target, declaring earlier this month a 45% target would increase power prices by “an estimated $1,400 per household”.
The Australia Institute’s advertisements will appear online on Thursday and then screen on Sky News from next week and then breakfast commercial TV.
Its executive director, Ben Oquist, said it was important to ensure debates about public policy were fact-based.
“There is simply no evidence for the BCA’s claim that a 45% emissions target would be an economy wrecking target,” he said.
Oquist said a 45% target for the electricity sector was the minimum level of emissions reduction required for Australia to meet its Paris obligations in an economically efficient manner.
Scott Morrison said Australia would remain in the Paris agreement, and would meet its commitment to reduce emissions across the economy by 26% “in a canter”, but it is unclear how the commitment will be delivered given emissions are rising, a consistent trend since the repeal of the carbon price.
Oquist said the Coalition “will need to announce serious emissions reduction policies if it is to have any hope of reaching the Paris target. Without those policies it will have no credibility and is simply paying lip service to climate change.”
Recent research funded by the Australian Council of Social Service (Acoss) and the Brotherhood of St Laurence found power prices for households would fall by 2030 under four scenarios modelled by Frontier Economics”: business as usual and emissions reduction targets of 26%, 45% and 65%.
The latest renewable energy index compiled by Green Energy Markets has also confirmed previous analysis by the Energy Security Board that wholesale electricity prices are on the way down because of a big build of renewable energy coming on stream.
With the Wentworth byelection in play, the independent hoping to force an upset in the seat, Kerryn Phelps, has warned climate change is a significant issue on the ground. She has predicted the lack of climate action would be a significant problem for the Liberals in the federal election because of the government’s “complete paralysis on this issue”.
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