Greenhouse targets and peak oil

Your Name
Your Address
Dear Senator,

Re: Greenhouse targets and Peak Oil

I was disappointed to hear that the Senate rejected a resolution in February 2007 that would have set solid targets for deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. This decision comes after the recent IPCC's conclusion that human greenhouse emissions have warmed the planet and the consequences could well be very dire. Had that motion passed we would have joined the world in serious national greenhouse gas targets, cleaned up our polluting ways, spawned new industry opportunities, saved Australia from much higher costs in years to come and made the world a better place. I am not happy that this motion was not passed.

The other business in the senate that day was the tabling of the report on Peak Oil. I'd like to commend those members of the Senate who were involved in the production of this bipartisan and unanimous report. Peak Oil is a very important issue because of both our reliance on oil energy and the greenhouse gases that burning oil contributes to climate change. It seems that Toyota will be making hybrid cars in Victoria within a few years.

The current difficulty with hybrid cars is a costly premium over and above that of a normal vehicle. This means that the fight against global warming is being funded out of the pockets of the "early adopters" of hybrid technology. Your can show leadership in the fight against climate change by:

• Buying hybrid cars for government use.
• Encouraging Holden and Ford to manufacture hybrid cars in Australia.
• Waiving import taxes and stamp duty on hybrid vehicles.
• Waiving luxury car tax on hybrid vehicles.
• Supporting concessional registration for hybrid vehicles.
• Providing free parking for government employees who drive hybrid cars.
• Providing prioritised parking spaces for hybrid cars (similar to the way disabled parking spaces are provided).
• Encouraging councils to offer free parking for hybrid vehicles. (by not insisting owners feed parking meters, and an amnesty on parking fines)
• Allowing hybrid vehicles to use bus lane and transit lanes.

Some of these measures are already in place overseas in London, California and other jurisdictions and have proved very popular in promoting both hybrids and electric cars. I'm sure you would find bipartisan support for these measures which would go some way to reducing our reliance on oil. Would you please respond to me with your plans to improve the energy efficiency of Australia's vehicle fleet.

Thank you for your attention and consideration of this letter. I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Emission Trading Group Recommendations

Your name?
Your postal address??
Your MP??
Date

Goodmorning,

I’m writing to you because I want solid action on climate change, including an effective emission trading platform in Australia.

The weak recommendations of the carbon trading group, endorsed by the government is little surprise given it’s makeup and terms of reference.

The emissions trading task group was hand picked by the PM to include some of the worst offenders in greenhouse emissions, comprising hugely profitable businesses, many headquartered overseas and with no interest in reducing greenhouse gasses. Environment groups were very much excluded.

In announcing the task group last December the PM made it clear what was expected of them.[1]
“…we need to maintain the prosperity that our abundant fossil fuels have given us…”

TERMS OF REFERENCE?
Australia enjoys major competitive advantages through the possession of large reserves of fossil fuels and uranium. In assessing Australia's further contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, these advantages must be preserved.

Predictably there were no targets even mentioned in the recommendations, the time frame it to begin drafting legislation is 2009 and to begin phasing in a trading system in 2012. In the meantime the European system is sorting out it’s teething problems and will be live on January 1, 2008.

On Wednesday the 30th of May the PM made it clear in Parliament that Australia would not be ratifying the Kyoto Protocol because according to him it was not in the nations economic interest. This leaves two countries with no intention of ratifying Kyoto: Australia, with the highest per capita emissions in the developed world and the USA, the world’s largest emitter. I am not comfortable with Australia being on this very short list.

Instead of working with the rest of the world, Australia and the USA have promoted distracting alternatives to Kyoto such as the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6), the Clean Coal Partnership with China and endorsing[2] the May 31 proposal from George Bush[3] for the largest emitters in the world to set their own non-binding emission targets at talks that will be scheduled to coincide with (and distract from) the Kyoto talks later this year.

This is just not good enough and as my elected representative I’m calling on you to act. Australia needs to cease distracting the world by promoting alternatives to Kyoto, Australia should immediately ratify the Kyoto protocol and then set serious mandatory targets for emission reductions such as those proposed by Britain, Germany and Japan of cutting emissions by 50 percent by 2050.

Australia has had a free ride on greenhouse emissions by way of our 108% target and ‘The Australia Clause’ inserted at the last minute into Kyoto meaning that we don’t have to do anything to meet our target but stop clearing land for farming, something we were going to do anyway! We need to engage in the global action on this issue and I will be watching for your response to this issue as we approach this year’s Federal election.
Yours Sincerely,

[1] PM’s Media Release www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2006/media_Release2293.cfm
[2] PM’s Media Release www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2007/Media_Release24348.cfm
[3] USA Proposal www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/washington/01prexy.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=todayspaper

Australian Government subsidies for Fossil Fuel bu

Your Name
Your Address

Your MP

Date
 
Dear Sir,

I followed with interest the IPCC statement on climate change and I am concerned that Australia is not serious about climate change. In particular I am anoyed that my taxes are ending up in the hand of wealthy coal and gas companies under the pretext of fighting climate change.
 
The Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund has approved five projects, four of them totalling $235 million are for untested coal or gas based programs that merely shove emissions underground and have target dates out to 2030. For example the Barrow Island W.A. gas project gives $60 million to American firm ExxonMobil, the most profitable company in corporate history, while $50 million goes to another overseas company, International Power, which burns heavily poluting brown coal in Victoria.
 
Only one project funded was for renewable power and that Solar Systems project is to generate up to 154Mw of renewable power. Meanwhile the PVRP solar rebate was halved in 2005 then means tested in 2007 and the Renewable Energy Diesel Replacement Scheme no longer gets funding. Why is the Australian Government giving hundreds of millions of tax dollars to rich and polluting coal and gas companies to chase expensive, risky and unproven technology that is decades away when we have a working zero emission alternative from renewable power right now?
 
I don't think this shows a genuine pursuit of greenhouse gas reduction and I am not happy that my tax money is being treated this way. Accordingly I call upon you as my elected representative to;

1. Prohibit the Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund from giving taxpayer money to the coal and gas industry
2. Reinstate the Renewable Energy Diesel Replacement Scheme
3. Fund the Renewable Energy Development Initiative with another $100 million