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Report of the Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee
The Heat Is On: Australia's Greenhouse Future
Table of Contents

This document is produced from camera-ready copy prepared by the Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee Secretariat, and printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House, Canberra.

`The whole history of international environmental action has been of arriving at a destination which looked impossibly distant at the moment of departure.'

Tony Brenton, The Greening of Machiavelli

Terms of Reference

1. On 11 August 1999 the Senate referred the following matters to the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting day in August 2000 (which was later extended to 8 November 2000):

The progress and adequacy of Australia's policies to reduce global warming, including:

(a) The effectiveness of Australian policies to reduce greenhouse emissions, in the light of Australia's commitments under the Framework Convention on Climate Change, including:

(i) whether Australia is likely to meet its commitments under the Framework Convention December 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and the potential costs if it does not;

(ii) the international response to the Framework Convention;

(iii) the development of an effective international and domestic emissions trading system;

(iv) the effectiveness of Australia's policies in comparison to international practice, such as emissions trading regimes and other measures;

(v) the level, and greenhouse implications, of the direct and indirect economic incentives currently offered to both fossil fuel and renewable energy projects;

(vi) the effectiveness of existing local, state and federal government policies and programs and their implementation;

(vii) the economic, employment and development consequences of greenhouse abatement measures with particular reference to regional Australia and the differential impact on each state and territory;

(viii) the social and equity consequences of greenhouse abatement;

(ix) the effectiveness of industry programs and policies in actual emissions reduction;

(x) Australia's contribution to global greenhouse gas abatement through export of alternative energy sources;

(xi) additional measures including, but not limited to, carbon trading;

(xii) the adequacy and effectiveness of greenhouse gas emission inventories; and

(xiii) the potential for carbon leakage associated with energy intensive industries to countries not party to the framework convention;

(b) Whether Australian government programs and policies, both state and Federal, are sufficient to provide for the development in Australia of emerging renewable energy, energy efficiency industries, the more efficient use of energy sources, the implementation of new energy technologies (eg fuel cells, hydrogen), including:

(i) the effectiveness of Australia's efforts in relation to other governments; and

(ii) the potential of these technologies to contribute to a reduction in Australia's greenhouse emissions;

(c) Potential improvements to Australia's policies to reduce greenhouse emissions, in the light of available studies of:

(i) current and projected fossil fuel use in Australia, taking into account the effects of current greenhouse reduction policies, trends in transport use of fuels, the use of energy by high-demand manufacturing, and changes to electricity ownership and generation;

(ii) projected climate change impacts on Australian industries, such as fishing, tourism, agriculture and others;

(iii) estimated costs of such economic impacts, to assist cost-benefit analysis of various climate change abatement programs and policies;

(iv) the impact of current land management practices and policies on current and projected greenhouse emissions, and the potential for Australian agriculture in greenhouse abatement measures;

(v) the potential role for vegetation as carbon sinks and emissions reduction by decreasing land clearing; and

(vii) the availability and effectiveness of other means of sequestration as an abatement option; and

(d) The projected effect of climate change on Australia's ecosystems including but not limited to:

(i) reef systems;

(ii) alpine areas; and

(iii) wetland areas.

2. On 22 September 1999 the Senate referred the Convention on Climate Change (Implementation) Bill 1999, a private senator's bill, to the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee, to be considered in conjunction with the Committee's inquiry into global warming.

This Bill seeks to give effect to Australia's obligations under the Framework Convention on Climate Change, and provides for the establishment of regulatory arrangements for Australia's greenhouse policy, including binding emissions targets, a legislated emissions cap and a domestic system of emissions trading.

Membership of the Committee - 39th Parliament

Members:

Senator Lyn Allison (Chair) (AD, VIC)
Senator John Tierney (Deputy Chair) (LP, NSW)
Senator Mark Bishop (ALP, WA)
Senator the Hon Nick Bolkus (ALP, SA)
Senator Kate Lundy (ALP, ACT)
Senator Tseben Tchen (LP, VIC)

Substitute Member:

Senator Jan McLucas (ALP, QLD) to substitute for Senator Bolkus for the inquiry into Global Warming and the Convention on Climate Change (Implementation) Bill 1999

Participating Members:

Committee Secretariat

Secretary
Mr Richard Selth (to 29 February 2000)
Ms Roxane Le Guen (to 25 August 2000)
Ms Andrea Griffiths (from 28 August 2000)

Principal Research Officer
Dr Anthony Burke

Senior Research Officers
Ms Judy Lachele (SWIM Program Officer)
Ms Helen Grinbergs (seconded from the Australian Greenhouse Office)
Ms Patricia Burritt
Mr David Arnold (to 27 July 2000)

Executive Assistant
Ms Angela Mututu (to 13 September 2000)
Ms EmmaJane Will (from 11 September 2000)

Committee Address:

Environment, Communications, Information Technology
and the Arts References Committee
S1.57, Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Tel: 02 6277 3526

Fax: 02 6277 5818

Glossary

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