Deakin expert praises Garnaut emission targets
Media releaseProfessor Ross Garnaut's draft report on emissions targets is wonderful news for Australians and for the environment, a Deakin University expert on climate change believes.
Dr Matthew Clarke, from Deakin University's Faculty of Arts, whose latest book looks at climate change policy and life after Kyoto when the protocol expires in 2012, said the recommended targets were firmly based on current scientific knowledge and would reduce the risk of catastrophic climate change.
"Prime Mister Rudd must immediately adopt the targets and trajectories recommended by Professor Garnaut," Dr Clarke said.
"Climate change requires significant shifts in how our economy operates. But Professor Garnaut has shown that the costs of reducing our emissions are easily affordable.
"This report is a significant departure from the Kyoto approach of allocating future emissions on past emissions.
"Using the per capita approach to allocate future emissions is ethical.
"It is also politically astute as it will mean that countries such as Australia can bring pressure to bear on large developing country emitters, such as China and India, to enter a post-Kyoto international protocol.
"Professor Garnaut has recognised that an Australian has no more right to emit carbon than some-one living in India or China."