The Climate Institute today welcomed the agreement struck by the ALP and the Greens to establish a broad based Parliamentary Committee on climate change as one part of a new and more transparent approach to Australia’s pollution politics.

“Australia’s pollution politics has become mired in scare campaigns and misinformation and a new approach is urgently needed,” said The Climate Institute’s CEO John Connor.

“This committee, and enshrining an independent Climate Change Commission, can help pull action on pollution and climate change out of the political quagmire.”

The Climate Institute has written to all cross benchers urging them to obtain commitments from the major parties to support the establishment of an independent Climate Change Commission.

The work of the proposed Commission needs a strong focus if it is to pave the way to legislation to limit and put a price tag on pollution as soon as possible in the life of this Parliament.

This includes:
·    The level of global climate action and, given the bipartisan support for global conditions for going to 5 to 25 per cent reductions, what this means for Australia’s 2020 pollution reduction target and appropriate industry assistance.
·    Economic costs and efficiency of meeting targets under various options especially genuine market based approach versus a large Government fund.
·    Impacts of uncertainty on electricity prices, extent to which current proposed policies address this, and processes for integrating energy security and climate change

“Along with the proposed Parliamentary Committee, an independent Climate Change Commission should form a central part of any long standing architecture to limit and price pollution,” said Mr Connor.

“A permanent independent Climate Change Commission is crucial to ensuring Australia’s political leaders receive transparent and credible advice on the most effective and efficient options for moving to a low pollution economy.”

In addition to the Climate Change Commission, The Climate Institute has written to the cross benchers calling on them to obtain a commitment from the ALP and the Coalition to:

·    Legislate a limit and a price tag on pollution in the life of this Parliament;
·    Release the PM’s Energy Efficiency Task Group report and initiate a White Paper process for its consideration and implementation.

“The Climate Institute congratulates the ALP and Greens for the agreement to establish the committee and looks forward to an enhanced and enduring architecture of accountability as well as immediate action on energy efficiency improvements,” concluded Mr Connor.

For further information:
John Connor at Parliament House | CEO, The Climate Institute | 0413 968 475.
Harriet Binet | Communications Director, The Climate Institute | (02) 8239 6299 or 0402 588 384.