Garnaut Climate Change Review

Executive summary of the interim report of the Garnaut Climate Change review. The full report can be found at the following website:

http://www.garnautreview.org.au/CA25734E0016A131/pages/reports-and-papers

A couple of excerpts - (thanks to Peter Pigott, NRM Facilitator - Shoalhaven/Illawarra
Southern Rivers CMA):

• "It is neither desirable nor remotely feasible to seek to remove environmental pressures through diminution of the aspirations of the world's people for higher material standards of living. The challenge is to end the linkage between economic growth and emissions of greenhouse gases."
• "Australia playing its full part in international efforts on climate change can have a positive effect on global outcomes. The direct effects of Australia's emissions reduction efforts are of secondary importance."
• "Australia should make firm commitments in 2008 to 2020 and 2050 emissions targets that embody a similar adjustment cost to that accepted by other developing countries."
• "Australia must now put in place effective policies to achieve major reductions in emissions. The emissions trading scheme (ETS) is the centre-piece of a domestic mitigation strategy."