The Week That Was - July 18 2013

This week – there has been a lot of writing about the carbon price – oops – emissions trading scheme – some good news and some bad and can waste be energy efficient?

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“Energy efficiency is the hidden fuel that increases energy security and mitigates climate change”
International Energy Agency, 2012 

Aaargh, an ETS in favour of a carbon price… what is going on? Well, we understand that the Rudd proposal means that if he is PM, and in a position to change the legislation, from July 1, 2014 the fixed price of AU$25.40 will be floated to just under AU$7. Just a few ‘ifs’ in that sentence …..

By pushing to ‘terminate the carbon tax’ PM Rudd seems to be tackling the opposition to a market based scheme to reduce carbon pollution. But we need to remember that, to date, this is all a statement of intent or an election promise, rather than a substantive change to the scheme. The election is yet to be called.

Climate chaos 'needn't happen’ if we all get on the same page writes Alex Kirby, and the World Bank are helping by announcing they will not fund coal-fired power stations. That’s a good start.

And The Climate Institute reviews the IEA findings around energy efficiency. If Australia makes a one per cent energy efficiency gain – we will boost 2030 GDP per capita by 2.26% or $1,200 per person, and total GDP by $26 billion (and avoid the worst of climate change) garn… why not be in it to win it?

Even The Australian has run a piece revealing habitat loss makes disasters ‘worse’. Alrighty – they are off the starting blocks. I guess it’s never too late … or is it??

And despite Mr Abbott’s claims that direct action is a good way to mitigate the effects of climate change (hmm, he might need updating), Australia has been asked to help China build its ETS.

Closer to home, the Greens have released the latest part of their clean energy policy. And in the States, they have officially announced that climate change will disrupt energy supplies.  Is that is why they have agreed, with China, to cut back on carbon emissions from vehicles and coal-fired power stations? Read more in the US State Department’s fact sheet – here.

Fiji’s PM Bainimarama tells the
industrialized world to stop ‘dragging its feet’ as we are told Sydney’s temperatures are rising and water supplies are not…

The Great Barrier Reef is now officially sick, and - might waste be a way to generate clean energy? Whoa, what a week …..


Image by flickr user szczel (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)