Australia excludes farms from carbon scheme

Australia's government has agreed to exclude agriculture from its emissions trading scheme in a major concession to the opposition to try to get carbon trading laws through parliament, a minister said on Sunday.

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong announced the concession and called for quick approval by parliament. "We've got the opportunity to pass for the first time legislation that actually reduces Australia's contribution to climate change."

The government had planned to include agriculture in the scheme from 2015. Under the revision, agriculture will be excluded, but farmers will still be able to claim carbon credits.

Passing the laws would give industry, such as power generators, more certainly on investment plans and financing.

The opposition, however, is deeply split over emissions trading. Many conservatives deny that there is even proof that human activity is causing climate change.

The scheme aims to cut emissions by 5 percent from 2000 levels by 2020, or up to 25 percent if a tough international climate agreement is reached. Full market trading would begin from July 2012.

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