Why did the Greens Block the ETS?

The Greens proudly blocked Labor's 5% ETS because the target was simply too low and this would lock Australia in to failure on climate change, whilst at the same time giving the illusion that Australia was doing their part to avoid dangerous shifts in the earth's climatic system.

Their ETS would have handed over billions in free permits to already highly profitable corporate polluters, the market mechanism was dodgy and the system would have provided for an actual net increase in Australia's actual greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. The most important failure however was the incredibly low target of 5%.

Emission targets are a balance of 1. physical atmospheric CO2 targets required to avoid run away climate change and 2. a socially equitable response to reduce emissions by a fair amount to meet that target (doing our part as a developed nation and highest per capita producer of CO2 in the world).

Labor's 5% by 2020 will take us to at minimum a 550ppm C02 future, resulting in dangerous climatic change. The Greens support a policy which would bring about a 350ppm future, which is on target with what science is demanding for a safe climate.

It's really that simple, try as they might, the Labor Party can't negotiate with science. We either make an enormous effort to fix the problem, or not try at all. There is no half way there, no 'middle ground'. A 5% ETS is worse than nothing because it gives the illusion that we're doing something, when it's as good as nothing.

Arguing for a 5% ETS which will result in a 550ppm CO2 future in the hope that you will avoid dangerous climate change, is like arguing against gravity in the hope that you will avoid falling down.

ETS policy specifics aside (free permits to polluters, dodgy market mechanism, carbon trading, credit importation and derrivatives market manipulation etc.), there is no political advantage to locking in 5% and increasing the target later.

There is no advantage to getting the 'framework in place' and allowing people to get used to it before going to the required 40% reduction we need by 2020.

The capitalist market system that exists in Australia requires a degree of certainty in decisions, so that capital expenditure better reflects the future. Starting at 5%, moving to 10%, then to 20%, then 40%, would create chaos for investors. Some would be holding off of investment, waiting for a better price for carbon just around the corner, some would put energy projects on hold, requiring government money to insure the returns with taxpayer money and sweeten corporate deals even more with subsidies.

Basically it's very messy and very expensive to keep changing your mind on a major piece of economic framework.

People generally want to have the climate change problem fixed and through the falsehoods perpetuated by the two major parties, many have come to believe that the 5% ETS was the solution. As a result, if the Greens allowed the 5% ETS to pass, many people would stop caring, stop lobbying, stop trying to put Australia on the right path towards avoiding dangerous climate change. Disaster for present and future generations, well and truly locked in.

This is why the Greens blocked the ETS.

Strong decisive action is what is required. A firm target, in line with the science. We need action today, not tomorrow. Both Labor and Liberal have proven that they can not deliver these targets and have reminded Australians that they are both beholden to the fossil fuel lobby, polluting industry groups and the associated campaign contributions. Vested corporate interests are behind the policies of both major parties, as a result Australians are waking up to this fact and becoming sick to death of the same old excuses Labor and Liberal keep on coming up with to explain their terrible policies.

We can not let our future be put in jeopardy because our two party system is corrupt and failing. The Greens are the only party which will be able to have the immediate influence required to promote serious emission reduction targets and a serious policy response. The Greens propose a carbon tax, which is a simpler and more effective market mechanism than the ETS mechanism proposed by Labor, one which corporations can not simply buy their way out of with dodgy overseas carbon credits.

The Greens can win the balance of power in the Federal Senate, which will provide the Australian Parliament with a genuine force for sustainability, working tirelessly for a genuine emissions reduction target. Unlike other minor parties, the Greens have the power to do this today, not tomorrow.

That is why you should vote Green, or preference Green before you preference a major party.

Rudd's ETS was voted down essentially because Science does not negotiate and the Greens party will vote according to the science on climate change. We can't go half way towards reducing emissions and expect to avoid dangerous climate change. There is a set amount of emissions reductions we need to achieve in Australia and that target is 40% by 2020. This figure is set by the science, it's not negotiable, it's 40% or it's nothing, because any less than 40% by 2020 is pointless. We either fix the problem properly, or we give up trying altogether and the Greens are not about to give up on the future our children will inherit, as the major parties have done.

The question now is, how can the Greens effectively mount the case for a carbon tax. Next note...