From The Australian:
Tony Abbott is set to defy US President Barack Obama and other world leaders by releasing a post-2020 target that is lower than that of most advanced economies, on the grounds that Australia must bear the burden of stronger population growth.
The Prime Minister negotiated the new target in a cabinet meeting last night that scaled back draft proposals to cut Australian emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, fearing a hit to growth from the restriction of fossil fuels.
In one scenario gaining support last night, ministers considered a 26 per cent reduction on today’s carbon emissions by 2030, clearing the way for the goal to be taken to a meeting of Coalition MPs as soon as today to be decided as official policy.
Apparently, DFAT reckoned the 30% target would cost the economy 0.02% more. This is all politics and no policy as usual. Abbott wants to be able to wedge Labor’s more ambitious goals as damaging to the national interest.
Meanwhile, in the real world, this argument will carry zero weight in international forums given demographic challenges are universal and the Australian economy will be much worse off over the long term if it does not carry its own weight in carbon mitigation because at some point in the not too distant future trade sanctions will be foisted upon the laggards.
And I wouldn’t worry about population growth. Once we get through the next bust Australia’s going to revert to historical mean.
