The Federal Government is on the right track with its climate change policies, according to Ross Garnaut.
Speaking at a public discussion on the sustainability of the future in Melbourne’s Federation Square yesterday, the climate change expert praised the Governments stance on climate change.
“It’s a great relief to me that the government has put the 25% by 2020 target back on the table,” he said.
“It would have been a regretful thing in the international context if we did not set a very ambitious target.”
The Government has committed to an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) which would cut greenhouse gas emissions 5 to 25% by 2020.
The author of the 2008 Garnaut Climate Change Review told the discussion the government’s original white paper was disappointing.
He also urged the global community to not use the global financial crisis as an excuse for delaying climate change.
“I don’t think there is a simple trade-off between economic objectives and environmental objectives,” he said.
“With climate change, the trade-off is between short and long-term objectives.”
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