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Media release
The stone age did not end because of a shortage of stones
Australia's coal age will not end because of a shortage of coal
7 September 2004
Australia's peak organisation representing the environment and sustainability industry is calling for urgent revisions to the National Energy White Paper. Environment Business Australia (EBA) states that the energy plan has created new impediments to renewable energy and to Australia's future competitiveness.
"The national energy policy needs to recognise that climate change is the single biggest threat facing the world and that Australia is likely to be the most affected developed country. Our priority should therefore be to create a long-term vision and strategic action plan for transition to a clean energy future based on deep cuts in carbon emissions. This is not adequately addressed in the current White Paper." Said Fiona Wain, the chief executive officer of EBA.
"Australia must go through significant structural economic changes if we are to meet future market demand for renewable energy and goods and services created from clean and green electricity. The emphasis of the Energy White Paper has diverted attention away from current and emerging solutions and it has handed Australia's future energy supply to coal – at a time when the international marketplace is aggressively seeking cleaner solutions." She added.
EBA stresses that while coal will be a significant part of the energy mix for the next 30 to 40 years, other cleaner energy sources such as hydrogen will ultimately take over. Because of coal's decreasingly important role, the current focus on geo-sequestration of C02 from coal-fired power plants may not deliver the desired results, and may be a very expensive trajectory for Australia. The full costs of capture, compression, and the long distance transportation of C02, and the additional costs relating to the preparation of safe storage sites, injection, and long-term site maintenance of deposits need to be investigated. The latent liability risk of C02 leakages raises questions of where Government plans to store these liquefied gases and who carries the continuing responsibility for cost and security.
One of EBA's core recommendations is for a 50 year transitioning framework to give greater investment certainty to energy suppliers and users as well as infrastructure project developers. The environment industry recommends that economic, regulatory, fiscal, procurement and investment changes, as well as the fast-tracking of energy efficiency, and fuel-switching to new era clean renewable energy sources should be key elements of this framework.
Other EBA recommendations include:
- A coalition 'war council' approach to address the security risks of climate change
- Australian commitment to cuts of C02e emissions by 60% by 2050 and 80% by 2100
- The adoption of a national carbon emissions trading scheme
- An increase of the Mandated Renewable Energy Target (MRET) to 10% by 2010 and 20% by 2020 and removal of the cut-off date (until the market demonstrates equal opportunity for renewable energy)
- A national externalities study to cost collateral damage and to provide market signals that monetise clean energy action
- Assistance to developing countries to reduce their carbon footprint while growing their economies
- Australia ratify the Kyoto Protocol
EBA's full submission is titled Clean energy and renewable energy sources must be the key to our vision for the future.
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