Greens – Carbon farming: Another important idea mismanaged by Labor

Carbon farming: Another important idea mismanaged by Labor

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Saturday 14th August 2010, 12:20pm
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in Agriculture Green Carbon
The Australian Greens strongly support efforts to increase carbon in the landscape, but Labor’s plan announced today is yet another example of the government causing more problems than it solves because it doesn’t understand either the climate challenge or land management.

“The government is dancing around the climate crisis, coming up with more ill-thought-out non-solutions because it refuses to do the right thing – protect our forest carbon stores and introduce an effective, well-designed price on pollution,” Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

“Those in the offset market we have spoken to this morning are crying out for more detail. It sounds like, at best, this announcement is not new it is simply trying to address the vacuum left when the Greenhouse Friendly scheme ended in July leaving businesses in the voluntary carbon offset markets in limbo.

“We are also concerned that it could create more problems for farmers and other land managers if it focuses solely on carbon without at the same protecting farming land, water and biodiversity from perverse outcomes.

“Farmers across Australia will also be confused, and troubled that this could cause the same problems for them as managed investment schemes. Schemes designed by the city for the city without thinking about the impact on people on the land have a bad history.

“Perhaps worst of all, this is yet another new badly-designed climate promise funded by taking money away from renewable energy.

“Just like with cash for clunkers, the government has robbed Peter to pay Paul, taking another $45.6 million out of the Renewable Energy Future Fund for something that has nothing to do with renewable energy. $220 million from Solar Flagships plus $150 from solar hot water rebates plus today’s $45 million totals $415 million out of renewable in this election campaign alone.

“The government needs to get serious about the climate crisis. That means coming to talk to the Greens about a real price on pollution, policies to shift our economy from coal to renewables and energy efficiency.

The Greens will be available for further comment once the details of the Government’s proposal become available.

Senator Milne and other Greens Senators and candidates will join Walks Against Warming across Australia tomorrow. For locations and times of walks, please see http://www.walkagainstwarming.org/