During the election campaign, LP will be cross-posting selected items from the Centre for Policy Development’s discussion of policy issues, Thinking Points. Readers may also be interested in the CPD’s collection of policy ideas and priorities for the next term, More Than Luck.
CPD fellow Ian Dunlop looks at how Australia measures up in terms of environmental management and leadership in this 16 August article in WME:
So Australia ends up in the worst of all possible worlds. Science is clearly indicating the need for radical emission reductions. Vested interests ignore these calls, continue to undermine any sensible reform and, by special pleading render ineffective even the minimalist reform proposed in the interests of short-term advantage. Lack of certainty on a carbon price stunts the growth of fledgling alternative energy industries, stifles consumer behavioural change and, combined with conflicting regulatory measures, leads to non-optimal short-term decisions, while both main political parties lack the stomach to take on the vested interests.
Read the whole article here.
” Lack of certainty on a carbon price stunts the growth of fledgling alternative energy industries…”
One could also say that lack of subsidies for sugar growing in Victoria seriously stunts the growth of the sugar industry in that state.
It seems that the collection of all the decisions of individuals in the marketplace cannot give the “correct” decision sought by bureaucrats.
Alternative energy will get a foothold when it can compete with existing energy sources. When they can provide reliable energy at cheaper prices I will be the first to give it a go. Attempts to artificially give solar and wind power a leg up by throttling the existing sources are just displays of arrogance reserved to those who consider that they are entitled to impose their views on their fellow citizens.
If this government if it is returned attempts to impose a carbon tax the backlash against it will be severe. The public is already uneasy at the rapid increase in power bills largely because of lack of planning and any further attempts to increase those bills will be met with massive discontent.
Any consideration for Climate Change there, amortiser? Or are electricity bills the real killer?
In other environmental news, apparently a lot of fishermen don’t like science either: coalition angles for the fishermens vote
Is this blanket denialism, do you think, or just more weathervane behaviour? And don’t get me started on the fish miners, intent on treating the resource as non-renewable.
Amortiser Alternative energy will get a foothold when it can compete with existing energy sources
Do you mean it needs to pollute as much, or are you just ignorant of economic externalities (or don’t believe that such things exist)?