As the carbon productivity and competitiveness race heats up, The Climate Institute's briefing paper on Australia's 2020 target highlights;

• the dual reasons for adopting climate action, not only in doing our fair share of the global climate effort but in ensuring we improve our carbon competitiveness as the global clean energy, carbon productivity and energy security race heats up (with key facts on action being taken by other countries – there is little risk of Australia being anywhere near leadership)

• the Government has failed to recognize the significance of action already under way around the world in its submission to the Copenhagen Accord and it’s new conditions in moving beyond a 2020 target of 5% reductions off 2000 levels

• despite this the Government has kept alive the possibility of going to 25% and the Opposition needs to have a credible plan to get there