Stern words for Australia
Australia’s climate change policies have been criticized — rightly, in our view — by Sir Nicholas Stern, author of the Stern Report.
“THE world’s leading economist on climate change, Sir Nicholas Stern, has challenged Australia to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30 per cent by 2020 - and 90 per cent by 2050.
He also urged Australia to ratify the Kyoto Protocol immediately as an important symbolic act, and to step up research into solar power and clean coal technology.
. . .
He proposed that Australia should follow Europe and California in setting mandatory targets, enforced by law, to cut its 1990 emission levels by 60 to 90 per cent by 2050, beginning with cuts of up to 30 per cent within the next 13 years.
The Government has resisted legislating a target of this magnitude but Sir Nicholas believes “targets are crucial”. He put it bluntly: “You should be going, as a rich country, for 60 per cent to 90 per cent reductions by 2050.” “