The Australian Carbon pollution reduction scheme Australia has been a late starter on addressing climate change, only ratifying the Kyoto Protocol in 2007. The country's power sector emits more carbon per resident that any other nation. However, it has high emissions mitigation potential, enviable conditions for renewable energy uptake and a wealth of untapped energy-saving opportunities. It is also home to many of the world’s ecological treasures and it is predicted that it will be one the developed countries most drastically affected by climate change. A bill for an Australian emissions trading scheme (the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) Bill 2009) is currently before the Australian parliament. A number of commentators have noted the minimal attention being paid to legislative models overseas in the design of an Australian emissions trading scheme. Despite its broad coverage, the current model has been widely criticised for its low levels of ambition, its design flaws, and its generosity to industry. In July 2008 ClientEarth arrived in Australia to lend its international legal and policy to ensuring that the CPRS and other proposed environmental legislation is brought in step with international best practice. We are currently providing detailed legal policy advice on the mechanics of the emissions trading bill and are proposing alternative design solutions to senators from the Australian Green Party and to NGOs. We are also offering these findings to staff from the Australian Department of Climate Change. Resources Comparative analysis: Australia's carbon pollution reduction scheme - part 1 Comparative analysis: Australia's carbon pollution reduction scheme - part 2 |