29 June 2010 | Luca Del Buono
Carbon, Climate Change, Energy, Legislation, Australia

 

On 24th of this month Julia Gillard became the Australian Prime Minister in place of Kevin Rudd who stood down in advance of the upcoming elections. Gillard claims that she intends to restart the efforts to introduce an emissions trading scheme, as she was sworn in on Thursday in Canberra she stated:

"I will re-prosecute the case for a carbon price at home and abroad . . . I will do that as global economic conditions improve and as our economy continues to strengthen."

She went on to say: "It is as disappointing to me as it is to millions of Australians that we do not have a price on carbon." It is clear that Gillard looks to announce numerous steps towards a greener Australia, winning back support from voters that Rudd alienated. Rudd's popularity plunged in part due to his shelving of legislature to enforce an emissions trading scheme. Despite calling climate change the greatest "moral challenge" of our time, due to opposition from lawmakers Rudd delayed the plan.

Many individuals and organisations have called upon Gillard to act upon climate change such as Don Henry, CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation who said:

"I congratulate Ms Gillard and urge her to lead an Australian shift from a pollution-dependent economy to a clean economy and a healthy environment."

Today some of the world's top climate experts and scientists have met at the Climate Adaptation Futures Conference held on Australia's Gold Coast. They have gathered to discuss global warming and how to respond to it and prevent it.

Australia has already passed legislation that aims for 20 per cent of electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2020 and it is hoped that Gillard will add to laws such as this. Analysts believe more must be done to reduce the countries usage of coal, oil and gas. Scientists reinforce this concept claiming that cutting emissions is important to prevent rising seas, coastal erosion and change in rainfall patterns affecting crops.

Schemes such as investment in public transport can make people's lives easier and cheaper; focusing on these types of scheme as well as emissions trading will have a positive impact on climate change. As Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change asserts:

"You get much more support for climate policies if you frame them in a positive way and not present them only as constraints but also opportunities."

It is clear that the issue of climate change is important in Australia and that for Gillard to maintain support she needs to follow through the promises regarding the prevention of global warming specifically when it comes to legislature on emissions trading scheme. She must succeed where Rudd failed in order to maintain support over climate issues.

Author: Rachael Bristow| Climate Action

Image: Madcowk | Flickr

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