29/08/2006 Page: 4
South Australian Premier Mike Rann will introduce the country's toughest climate change legislation when state parliament resumes today, as Prime Minister John Howard has again ruled out specific emissions reduction targets.
Mr Rann will introduce legislation committing the state to a 60 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050, based on 1990 levels. "Global warming poses a greater threat to humans and our planet than terrorism, with emissions of carbon dioxide, continuing to be the biggest cause of climate change," he said.
Mr Rann has also committed the state to source 20 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2014. This betters the 10 per cent renewable energy target set by Victoria, and comes as NSW considers mandating ethanol use at 10 per cent, while Queensland has committed to a 5 per cent mandate for the alternative fuel.
These measures, combined with a plan by the Labor states to introduce an emissions trading scheme, increases the pressure on Mr Howard to do more to combat climate change.
But the Prime Minister has again ruled out punitive measures, telling last night's Four Corners program that it was pointless for Australia to take expensive steps to curb its own emissions.
"If we stopped them tomorrow [Australia's emissions], it would take all of nine months for China's additional emissions to equal what we've withdrawn by stopping ours," he said.
Mr Rann has not outlined how the state will achieved the 60 per cent reduction in emissions, but has already implemented a number of energy saving and renewable energy schemes. "South Australia now has 51 per cent of the nation's wind power, and more than 45 per cent of the nation's grid-connected solar power," he said.
The state has also legislated that new buildings and major renovations must have solar power or gas hot water systems and it provides a $400 rebate for the installation of rain water tanks.
But the country's peak renewable energy body has called on the South Australian Government to outline how the targets will be achieved. The chief executive of the Renewable Energy Generators of Australia Susan Jeanes said the state was likely to fall short of its green power target.
"We think it will achieve somewhere between 14 per cent and 16 per cent," she said. "We applaud the foresight but we need to see how the target is going to be achieved." A spokesman for Mr Rann said every government decision would be based on achieving the targets.
Key Points
- New buildings in SA must have solar power or gas hot water systems.
- Victoria has set a renewable energy target of 10 per cent.
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