A Critique of the Australian Government’s Greenhouse Policies

The Australian government is a signatory to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), which has the ultimate objective of “… stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system…” Since the present rate of change in global average temperature appears to be greater than any natural changes observed over the past 150,000 years, this objective may require stabilisation of greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations at present levels in carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalents, or lower levels. According to the calculations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this would require a reduction in annual global CO₂ emissions by at least 60 per cent and substantial reductions in the other GHGs as well.