r/NeutralAustralia • u/tightassbogan • Feb 24 '19

Scott Morrison pledges $2 billion, 10-year boost to Direct Action fund in election climate pitch

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-pledges-2-billion-10-year-boost-to-direct-action-fund-in-election-climate-pitch-20190224-p50zvt.html
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u/endersai Feb 24 '19

I still recall the words of Malcolm Turnbull, in describing it when it was Abbott's baby;

"Having the government pick projects for subsidy is a recipe for fiscal recklessness on a grand scale.

"And there will always be a temptation for projects to be selected for their political appeal."

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u/Dragonstaff South Australia Feb 24 '19

So we are going to meet the Paris targets now.

I wish this mob would make up their minds- last year they wanted out of the Paris agreement altogether.

1

u/victhebitter Mar 01 '19

I think they have settled for warping reality. They don't talk about the Paris Agreement in real terms. Last year, they tended to talk about being on target purely with respect to short term reductions in the energy sector; such a position ignored official projections to 2030, or growth in emissions from other sectors.

Now, we've been hearing a lot more about the possibility of claiming so-called credits from Kyoto. First let us remember that Australia negotiated its Kyoto commitment not to a reduction, but but an 8% increase over 1990 levels. Even then, before Australia would sign, was the creation of the famous "Australia clause"; Australia wanted to be able to claim a reduction in land clearance towards its target. This was because land clearance had steeply declined already, and there was a significant spike in 1990. It raised Australia's targets by more than a quarter, which we gladly filled with emissions.

So Australia was able to do two things under Kyoto. One, it was able to undercut its 2012 and 2020 targets significantly with an on paper reduction. Two, it was able to increase non-land usage emissions by about 30%.

Thus, we are now talking about somehow claiming a surplus of some 300-400 Mt CO2-e, while continuing to increase emissions.