[Greens-Media] Treasury modelling begs the question: Why not go harder, faster?

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Treasury modelling begs the question: Why not go harder, faster?

Hobart, Thursday 30 October 2008  Even with its pessimistic assumptions
on energy efficiency and renewable energy, Treasury modelling released
today backs the Greens position that cutting emissions hard and fast
makes economic and environmental sense, Australian Greens climate change
spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, said today.

The modelling backs up existing evidence that acting to cut emissions
sooner rather than later is economically advantageous. It also shows
that greater emissions cuts cost barely more than cuts which will not
prevent catastrophic climate change. However, all four of the scenarios
which Treasury modelled give us an unacceptably high chance of
triggering dangerous climate change.

Senator Milne said, "If the kind of cuts which will give us a small
chance of avoiding climate catastrophe cost barely more than the cuts
which give us no chance, why did Treasury not model safe climate
scenarios?

"The modelling shows that the Government has no excuse whatsoever for
refusing to take on at least 25% cuts by 2020. Treasury should now be
asked to model the 40% cuts we know are necessary in order to pass on a
safe climate to our children. If, as can be expected, the cost is still
vanishingly small, there can be no excuse for not taking on that
science-based target.

"It is important to remember the old principle of modelling - 'garbage
in, garbage out'. The Treasury modelling contains some bizarre
assumptions, including that there will be no behavioural change for
energy efficiency and far less renewable energy than we know is
possible.

"Even with these pessimistic assumptions, the costs are very low. If
they had included the amount of energy efficiency we know is possible,
the costs would be that much lower.

"Internationally, there is now a strong push for a Green New Deal to
lift the world out of the economic meltdown by investing in the jobs and
manufacturing that will help us avoid a complete climate meltdown.

"The stronger the target we aim for, the more investment we will need to
achieve it, and the more innovative, jobs-rich, economic activity will
be stimulated.

"That is why the Greens will be moving in the Senate to negotiate harder
and faster emissions reduction outcomes from the emissions trading
scheme.

"We will help the Government 'green up' the scheme to achieve 40%
emissions reductions below 1990 levels by 2020, with compensation
mechanisms that will drive energy efficiency - saving emissions and
money - instead of cash payments that will undermine the scheme.

"The key question we have to ask ourselves is: will we be able to look
our grandchildren in the eye and tell them we did all we could when we
could? Or will we have to tell them we spent their inheritance because
we didn't have the foresight to do the right thing?"

Tim Hollo
Media Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
ph: (02) 6277 3588
mob: 0437 587 562

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