Reward for early action
Julia Gillard,Penny Wong
posted Friday, 23 July 2010
Companies will be given an incentive to reduce their pollution, as the Gillard Labor Government works to build community consensus to limit Australia’s pollution.
A Gillard Labor Government will ensure the efforts of companies today to reduce pollution are rewarded in a future market to limit pollution. This will ensure companies are not disadvantaged by taking early action on climate change.
It will also mean companies that do not take early action will be at a competitive disadvantage in the future.
Federal Labor recognises the need for a market to limit pollution in the future and, if re-elected, we will prosecute the case for this both at home and abroad.
To give industry certainty about future investment, the Government will ensure that the emission baselines for industry assistance will not be increased – they will be as determined under the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.
Retaining these baselines will ensure any efforts undertaken by a business now to cut pollution will be rewarded, because it will mean they will be required to purchase fewer permits in a future market to limit pollution.
It will encourage action early rather than causing businesses to delay action until a market mechanism is introduced.
It will make businesses think twice before adding to their pollution levels ahead of a future market – because if they pollute more, they may have to make even greater emissions reductions down the track.
This is part of Federal Labor’s approach to maintain a clear direction towards a competitive, low pollution Australian economy.
Consistent with the Gillard Labor Government’s commitment to return the budget to surplus in 3 years, this commitment will have no net impact on the budget.
Tags: change, Climate, Climate Change, environment, Gillard, Julia