All nations should heed Garnaut

Tim Flannery in the Sydney Morning Herald: Ross Garnaut's draft report presents a clear picture of the possible future impact of climate change on Australia, and begins the process of determining what we must do about it. Yet so diabolically complex is the climate problem that Garnaut's team had insufficient time to complete the economic modelling needed to determine targets for carbon emissions, trajectories for emissions reduction, or recommendations on a carbon price. So we'll have to wait until late August for this critically important information.

In the report's preamble Garnaut notes that the Australian economy has ridden the wave of development sweeping Asia - the very development that's accelerating climate change. Australians are therefore in a better economic position than ever to pay the costs of emissions abatement, and to assist those less well off to adjust to the changes. With the partial exception of a few exporters, he warns that exempting any industries from the scheme would be catastrophic, and of course all must pay for their pollution permits, rather than be given them.

Garnaut argues that quick, effective action is urgently required, and that delays will only magnify the risks we face, as well as making action far more expensive. In fact he thinks that we should have acted years ago, and in this respect the Opposition's attempts to delay the carbon trading scheme in order to perfect it harks back to failed policy: the truth is that the issue is so complex, yet so urgent, that we have no choice but to learn on the job.

….Garnaut recognises that we will need far more than just carbon trading. Political leadership which aspires to profound transformations in electricity and transport infrastructure, incentives to develop new technologies, mandated efficiency programs, technological transfer and a rationalisation of government powers will all be required if we are to reduce the pollution stream that's changing our world…

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