Links
Archives
- 10/01/2000 - 11/01/2000
- 11/01/2000 - 12/01/2000
- 12/01/2000 - 01/01/2001
- 01/01/2001 - 02/01/2001
- 02/01/2001 - 03/01/2001
- 03/01/2001 - 04/01/2001
- 04/01/2001 - 05/01/2001
- 05/01/2001 - 06/01/2001
- 06/01/2001 - 07/01/2001
- 07/01/2001 - 08/01/2001
- 08/01/2001 - 09/01/2001
- 09/01/2001 - 10/01/2001
- 10/01/2001 - 11/01/2001
- 11/01/2001 - 12/01/2001
- 12/01/2001 - 01/01/2002
- 01/01/2002 - 02/01/2002
- 02/01/2002 - 03/01/2002
- 03/01/2002 - 04/01/2002
- 04/01/2002 - 05/01/2002
- 05/01/2002 - 06/01/2002
- 06/01/2002 - 07/01/2002
- 07/01/2002 - 08/01/2002
- 08/01/2002 - 09/01/2002
- 09/01/2002 - 10/01/2002
- 10/01/2002 - 11/01/2002
- 11/01/2002 - 12/01/2002
- 12/01/2002 - 01/01/2003
- 01/01/2003 - 02/01/2003
- 02/01/2003 - 03/01/2003
- 03/01/2003 - 04/01/2003
- 04/01/2003 - 05/01/2003
- 05/01/2003 - 06/01/2003
- 06/01/2003 - 07/01/2003
- 07/01/2003 - 08/01/2003
- 08/01/2003 - 09/01/2003
- 09/01/2003 - 10/01/2003
- 10/01/2003 - 11/01/2003
- 11/01/2003 - 12/01/2003
- 12/01/2003 - 01/01/2004
- 01/01/2004 - 02/01/2004
- 02/01/2004 - 03/01/2004
- 03/01/2004 - 04/01/2004
- 04/01/2004 - 05/01/2004
- 05/01/2004 - 06/01/2004
- 06/01/2004 - 07/01/2004
- 07/01/2004 - 08/01/2004
- 08/01/2004 - 09/01/2004
- 09/01/2004 - 10/01/2004
- 10/01/2004 - 11/01/2004
- 11/01/2004 - 12/01/2004
- 12/01/2004 - 01/01/2005
- 01/01/2005 - 02/01/2005
- 02/01/2005 - 03/01/2005
- 03/01/2005 - 04/01/2005
- 04/01/2005 - 05/01/2005
- 05/01/2005 - 06/01/2005
- 06/01/2005 - 07/01/2005
- 07/01/2005 - 08/01/2005
- 08/01/2005 - 09/01/2005
- 09/01/2005 - 10/01/2005
- 10/01/2005 - 11/01/2005
- 11/01/2005 - 12/01/2005
- 12/01/2005 - 01/01/2006
- 01/01/2006 - 02/01/2006
- 02/01/2006 - 03/01/2006
- 03/01/2006 - 04/01/2006
- 04/01/2006 - 05/01/2006
- 05/01/2006 - 06/01/2006
- 06/01/2006 - 07/01/2006
- 07/01/2006 - 08/01/2006
- 08/01/2006 - 09/01/2006
- 09/01/2006 - 10/01/2006
- 10/01/2006 - 11/01/2006
- 11/01/2006 - 12/01/2006
- 12/01/2006 - 01/01/2007
- 01/01/2007 - 02/01/2007
- 02/01/2007 - 03/01/2007
The place for NZ oriented news releases on climate change and related energy policy.
Environmental Defence Society EDS Fossil of the Month Award
(Awarded for low awareness of climate change issues)
Contact Energy and Taranaki Regional Council jointly for this gem
Environmental Award For Taranaki Combined Cycle Power Station
Read on..."
(Awarded for low awareness of climate change issues)
Contact Energy and Taranaki Regional Council jointly for this gem
Environmental Award For Taranaki Combined Cycle Power Station
Read on..."
Foresters fed up over Kyoto stuff up
First it was the farmers threatening revolt, now it is forestry owners who are fired up over the government's climate change policies.
The Forest Owners Association has told its members to ban government officials from their land in protest at Labour's handling of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
Dunedin forest owner Phil Taylor is in the business of growing trees but his local business is caught up in a global warming row with the government.
Foresters claim because they are not getting the rewards, they are planting less and more land is being converted to dairy farming - all of which harms New Zealand's Kyoto position.
Comment - It is hard to beleive on this that the foresters even understand the Kyoto Protocol or government policy. Forests being converted to dairy farms from 2008 on will be emitters of carbon. They are primarily forest planted before 1990. All of the emissions on cutting have to be accounted for from pre-1990 forests. Giving the responsibility for credits / debits for these to the forest owners will mean they get a few credits in the plus after 2008 until they cut the trees, but then they would have to account for all the emission credits on clearance. Do they want that? - of course they don't. It is a loss the Government is currently committed to cover. Kyoto credits and debits are nothing but a hassle for foresters with plantation forests established before 1990. They are simply a churn of money - out when cut, in while growing. For new forests being planted now it is a different matter. They have a case on these - but why are they so hopeless at making it?
First it was the farmers threatening revolt, now it is forestry owners who are fired up over the government's climate change policies.
The Forest Owners Association has told its members to ban government officials from their land in protest at Labour's handling of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
Dunedin forest owner Phil Taylor is in the business of growing trees but his local business is caught up in a global warming row with the government.
Foresters claim because they are not getting the rewards, they are planting less and more land is being converted to dairy farming - all of which harms New Zealand's Kyoto position.
Comment - It is hard to beleive on this that the foresters even understand the Kyoto Protocol or government policy. Forests being converted to dairy farms from 2008 on will be emitters of carbon. They are primarily forest planted before 1990. All of the emissions on cutting have to be accounted for from pre-1990 forests. Giving the responsibility for credits / debits for these to the forest owners will mean they get a few credits in the plus after 2008 until they cut the trees, but then they would have to account for all the emission credits on clearance. Do they want that? - of course they don't. It is a loss the Government is currently committed to cover. Kyoto credits and debits are nothing but a hassle for foresters with plantation forests established before 1990. They are simply a churn of money - out when cut, in while growing. For new forests being planted now it is a different matter. They have a case on these - but why are they so hopeless at making it?
Climate Defence Network
New website:
The Climate Defence Network is a coalition of conservation, outdoors and recreational organisations, social, medical, engineering, resource management, environmental, and development groups throughout New Zealand.
CDN was formed to promote and support positive policies and actions that will help reduce and mitigate the serious threats that will result from human induced climate change."
New website:
The Climate Defence Network is a coalition of conservation, outdoors and recreational organisations, social, medical, engineering, resource management, environmental, and development groups throughout New Zealand.
CDN was formed to promote and support positive policies and actions that will help reduce and mitigate the serious threats that will result from human induced climate change."
Kyoto costs depend on where you stand
A waste of more than US$1300 ($1838) a year for every American, undermining economic growth and jobs? Or a lifeline for the planet costing just an annual US$20 for each European?
The UN's Kyoto protocol on curbing global warming looks utterly different when viewed from Washington, which opposes the 150-nation pact, or from its main backers in the European Union, Japan or Canada.
So who is right? "
A waste of more than US$1300 ($1838) a year for every American, undermining economic growth and jobs? Or a lifeline for the planet costing just an annual US$20 for each European?
The UN's Kyoto protocol on curbing global warming looks utterly different when viewed from Washington, which opposes the 150-nation pact, or from its main backers in the European Union, Japan or Canada.
So who is right? "
Murray Ward: Getting the story straight
Climate change stories have been making headlines. In these pre-election times demonising the Kyoto Protocol has again become political sport for some. The public can easily become misinformed. Let's get the story straight.
The Kyoto Protocol is not about carbon taxes and forest credits. The protocol signed in 1997 is an international agreement to begin to manage the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global climate change.
For each industrialised country it provided an emissions target and flexible means for meeting it. It allowed more than a decade before its provisions took effect and 15 years before compliance was assessed. "
Climate change stories have been making headlines. In these pre-election times demonising the Kyoto Protocol has again become political sport for some. The public can easily become misinformed. Let's get the story straight.
The Kyoto Protocol is not about carbon taxes and forest credits. The protocol signed in 1997 is an international agreement to begin to manage the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global climate change.
For each industrialised country it provided an emissions target and flexible means for meeting it. It allowed more than a decade before its provisions took effect and 15 years before compliance was assessed. "
Buildings, Electricity and Climate Change
Two new reports released today by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change identify a number of technologies and policy options for GHG reductions in both sectors. The first report is Towards a Climate-Friendly Built Environment, written by Marilyn Brown, Frank Southworth and Therese Stovall of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The other is U.S. Electric Power Sector and Climate Change Mitigation, written by Granger Morgan, Jay Apt, and Lester Lave of Carnegie Mellon University.
Long capital stock turnover, regulatory uncertainty and diverse and often competing interests all contribute to the difficulty of reducing GHGs from these two sectors. These reports find that a portfolio of affordable technology and policy options exist to completely transform the high-emitting buildings and electricity sectors to low-GHG emitting sectors over the next 50 years. However, the long lead time required to develop new technologies, deploy available technologies, and turn over capital stock, means that policies need to be launched now to create the impetus for change. Efforts must be sustained over time to achieve the deep reductions required.
Some insights that emerge from the reports are:
Policies are needed to enable meaningful GHG reductions from these sectors. The diverse and fragmented nature of the buildings sector, and the current state of regulatory uncertainty in the electricity sector prevent many available GHG reduction options from being adopted in the market in the absence of policies.
Significant increases in R&D and deployment policies are essential if we hope to significantly reduce GHGs from these sectors. A significantly expanded R&D program is needed in the U.S. to develop new technologies, and deployment policies are needed to push and pull available fuels and technologies into the market in the near and long term.
An elimination of most GHGs from these sectors is possible over the next 50 years. If managed properly, the electricity sector could undergo a complete capital stock turnover to low or non-GHG emitting generation sources over the next 50 years; while buildings in the U.S. could become net low-GHG energy exporters in the same time frame – but government policies are essential to provide clear policy direction in order to drive the massive public and private investments and choices necessary to enable such a future.
Two new reports released today by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change identify a number of technologies and policy options for GHG reductions in both sectors. The first report is Towards a Climate-Friendly Built Environment, written by Marilyn Brown, Frank Southworth and Therese Stovall of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The other is U.S. Electric Power Sector and Climate Change Mitigation, written by Granger Morgan, Jay Apt, and Lester Lave of Carnegie Mellon University.
Long capital stock turnover, regulatory uncertainty and diverse and often competing interests all contribute to the difficulty of reducing GHGs from these two sectors. These reports find that a portfolio of affordable technology and policy options exist to completely transform the high-emitting buildings and electricity sectors to low-GHG emitting sectors over the next 50 years. However, the long lead time required to develop new technologies, deploy available technologies, and turn over capital stock, means that policies need to be launched now to create the impetus for change. Efforts must be sustained over time to achieve the deep reductions required.
Some insights that emerge from the reports are:
Policies are needed to enable meaningful GHG reductions from these sectors. The diverse and fragmented nature of the buildings sector, and the current state of regulatory uncertainty in the electricity sector prevent many available GHG reduction options from being adopted in the market in the absence of policies.
Significant increases in R&D and deployment policies are essential if we hope to significantly reduce GHGs from these sectors. A significantly expanded R&D program is needed in the U.S. to develop new technologies, and deployment policies are needed to push and pull available fuels and technologies into the market in the near and long term.
An elimination of most GHGs from these sectors is possible over the next 50 years. If managed properly, the electricity sector could undergo a complete capital stock turnover to low or non-GHG emitting generation sources over the next 50 years; while buildings in the U.S. could become net low-GHG energy exporters in the same time frame – but government policies are essential to provide clear policy direction in order to drive the massive public and private investments and choices necessary to enable such a future.
Foresters urge Kyoto rethink
Forest owners say New Zealanders' support for the Kyoto Protocol will crumble if the government doesn't change its approach to it following the jump in forecast carbon emissions.
The government has discovered that forecast emissions of greenhouse gases have jumped and estimates of the amount of carbon forests will absorb have fallen.
So New Zealand is likely to exceed its net emissions of greenhouse gases by 36 million tonnes of carbon dioxide during the protocol's first commitment period of 2008-2112.
That means that instead of having a surplus of carbon credits, as the government predicted last year, New Zealand will need to buy credits from other Kyoto countries to cover the shortfall, at a predicted cost of about $1 billion.
The Kyoto Forestry Association says New Zealanders strongly support the protocol and are concerned about climate change, but the government has implemented it incompetently."
Forest owners say New Zealanders' support for the Kyoto Protocol will crumble if the government doesn't change its approach to it following the jump in forecast carbon emissions.
The government has discovered that forecast emissions of greenhouse gases have jumped and estimates of the amount of carbon forests will absorb have fallen.
So New Zealand is likely to exceed its net emissions of greenhouse gases by 36 million tonnes of carbon dioxide during the protocol's first commitment period of 2008-2112.
That means that instead of having a surplus of carbon credits, as the government predicted last year, New Zealand will need to buy credits from other Kyoto countries to cover the shortfall, at a predicted cost of about $1 billion.
The Kyoto Forestry Association says New Zealanders strongly support the protocol and are concerned about climate change, but the government has implemented it incompetently."
Marsden B hearing
A hearing on Mighty River Power's controversial plan to convert Marsden B into a coal-fired power station begins in Whangarei next week.
Four independent commissioners have been appointed for the joint hearing into the proposal. "
A hearing on Mighty River Power's controversial plan to convert Marsden B into a coal-fired power station begins in Whangarei next week.
Four independent commissioners have been appointed for the joint hearing into the proposal. "
Kyoto blow no reason to bow out
Much gnashing of teeth has followed the revelation that the Kyoto Protocol will not, as previously advertised, be a financial plus for this country. An anticipated surplus of carbon credits worth $500 million for the first commitment period, 2008 to 2012, has, the Government conceded last week, now turned into a deficit of the same sum. The National Party, relishing the obvious embarrassment factor in this $1 billion turnaround, has called for an immediate review of New Zealand's continued participation in the protocol. Any such scrutiny will surely conclude this is an exercise we should not exit at the first sign of a setback.
The reasons for this are implicit in the questions raised by the National leader, Don Brash. He said his party needed to be convinced that global warming was occurring; that warming was being caused by human activity; and that the sacrifices were commensurate to any potential gain. "
Much gnashing of teeth has followed the revelation that the Kyoto Protocol will not, as previously advertised, be a financial plus for this country. An anticipated surplus of carbon credits worth $500 million for the first commitment period, 2008 to 2012, has, the Government conceded last week, now turned into a deficit of the same sum. The National Party, relishing the obvious embarrassment factor in this $1 billion turnaround, has called for an immediate review of New Zealand's continued participation in the protocol. Any such scrutiny will surely conclude this is an exercise we should not exit at the first sign of a setback.
The reasons for this are implicit in the questions raised by the National leader, Don Brash. He said his party needed to be convinced that global warming was occurring; that warming was being caused by human activity; and that the sacrifices were commensurate to any potential gain. "
Kyoto - should we stay or should we go?
Debate over New Zealand's membership of the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty to combat global warming, has been revived by new Government estimates of the likely cost.
Kyoto countries which exceed their agreed allocation of rights to emit greenhouse gases will have to buy additional rights, commonly called carbon credits, from other Kyoto countries which have more than they need.
New Zealand had been expected to have a surplus to sell, but if the revised estimates are right it will be a buyer.
Even at the relatively low price of $15 a tonne of carbon dioxide, the figure the Government used to set the initial level of the carbon tax due to come into effect in 2007, the revisions mean taxpayers will be $1 billion worse off between 2008 and 2012. "
Debate over New Zealand's membership of the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty to combat global warming, has been revived by new Government estimates of the likely cost.
Kyoto countries which exceed their agreed allocation of rights to emit greenhouse gases will have to buy additional rights, commonly called carbon credits, from other Kyoto countries which have more than they need.
New Zealand had been expected to have a surplus to sell, but if the revised estimates are right it will be a buyer.
Even at the relatively low price of $15 a tonne of carbon dioxide, the figure the Government used to set the initial level of the carbon tax due to come into effect in 2007, the revisions mean taxpayers will be $1 billion worse off between 2008 and 2012. "
New Zealand's climate change challenge increases
The latest forecast of net greenhouse gas emissions for 2008-12 shows New Zealand will miss its Kyoto target unless further action is taken, according to a government minister.
'Climate change poses a direct threat to New Zealand's environment, way of life and economy', said the convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change Pete Hodgson.
'Unless there is a concerted global effort to limit emissions and the extent of climate change, New Zealand, and its agricultural base, will be hit hard', added Mr Hodgson.
'No responsible government can afford to ignore this threat. The results released today demonstrate that much more needs to be done to combat climate change.' "
The latest forecast of net greenhouse gas emissions for 2008-12 shows New Zealand will miss its Kyoto target unless further action is taken, according to a government minister.
'Climate change poses a direct threat to New Zealand's environment, way of life and economy', said the convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change Pete Hodgson.
'Unless there is a concerted global effort to limit emissions and the extent of climate change, New Zealand, and its agricultural base, will be hit hard', added Mr Hodgson.
'No responsible government can afford to ignore this threat. The results released today demonstrate that much more needs to be done to combat climate change.' "
Kyoto bill creates $1 billion deficit
Taxpayers will be at least $1 billion worse off under revised Government estimates of the costs of the Kyoto treaty to combat global warming.
National's environment spokesman, Nick Smith, says the party, if elected, will consider pulling out of the Kyoto Protocol, despite the cost to New Zealand's international reputation, given the 'hammering' the economy will take under the latest numbers. 'It's a huge stuff-up.' "
Taxpayers will be at least $1 billion worse off under revised Government estimates of the costs of the Kyoto treaty to combat global warming.
National's environment spokesman, Nick Smith, says the party, if elected, will consider pulling out of the Kyoto Protocol, despite the cost to New Zealand's international reputation, given the 'hammering' the economy will take under the latest numbers. 'It's a huge stuff-up.' "
Cutting down trees and growing cows not smart!
Cutting down trees and growing cows not the way to go!
In light of the Government's announcement of revised carbon emissions released today, United Future's environment spokesman Larry Baldock has again asked the Minister for Climate Change why the Government is allowing Land Corp to convert forestry into dairying in the Central North Island Plateau.
'Quite apart from the fact that the pumice soils of that area are likely to result in greater nitrogen leaching into our waterways and lakes, it does not make sense when we convert land use from being part of the answer to being very much a part of the problem. "
Cutting down trees and growing cows not the way to go!
In light of the Government's announcement of revised carbon emissions released today, United Future's environment spokesman Larry Baldock has again asked the Minister for Climate Change why the Government is allowing Land Corp to convert forestry into dairying in the Central North Island Plateau.
'Quite apart from the fact that the pumice soils of that area are likely to result in greater nitrogen leaching into our waterways and lakes, it does not make sense when we convert land use from being part of the answer to being very much a part of the problem. "
Forest owners side step Kyoto
Forest owners are felling their immature forests at a great rate to avoid penalties under the Kyoto Protocol, according to the Forest Owners' Association.
The association says foresters want to avoid a Kyoto Protocol liability for trees planted before 1990 and felled after 2007.
It all relates to NZ's calculations on carbon credits for the Kyoto Protocol.
Trees felled from 2008 onwards will incur a Kyoto penalty.
The association's Peter Weir says new plantings have all but collapsed as well - leading to the prospect of the government paying out on the Kyoto Protocol, when it planned to benefit from it. "
Comment: Stunning illogic from the Forest Owners: Either the Government or the owners are liable - according to this release it is both!
The clear Government policy is that they have accepted the liability.
Forest owners are felling their immature forests at a great rate to avoid penalties under the Kyoto Protocol, according to the Forest Owners' Association.
The association says foresters want to avoid a Kyoto Protocol liability for trees planted before 1990 and felled after 2007.
It all relates to NZ's calculations on carbon credits for the Kyoto Protocol.
Trees felled from 2008 onwards will incur a Kyoto penalty.
The association's Peter Weir says new plantings have all but collapsed as well - leading to the prospect of the government paying out on the Kyoto Protocol, when it planned to benefit from it. "
Comment: Stunning illogic from the Forest Owners: Either the Government or the owners are liable - according to this release it is both!
The clear Government policy is that they have accepted the liability.
Hodgson sets forest owners straight on Kyoto policy
The President of the Forest Owners Association (FOA) is wrong to assert that forest owners face liabilities for cutting down trees and not re-planting says Convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change Pete Hodgson.
'The only politician to talk up such a liability is National's Forestry Spokesmen, Brian Connell,' says Pete Hodgson. 'He has done the forestry sector a massive disservice by spreading such a rumour and it seems that he has now fooled the President of the Forest Owners Association.'
Under Kyoto, credits are awarded to nations against forest sinks. Once sinks are cut, or removed because of flood, fire or storm damage, credits awarded against that forestry have to be paid back. The government has assumed all the liabilities and credits for post 1990 forests. "
The President of the Forest Owners Association (FOA) is wrong to assert that forest owners face liabilities for cutting down trees and not re-planting says Convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change Pete Hodgson.
'The only politician to talk up such a liability is National's Forestry Spokesmen, Brian Connell,' says Pete Hodgson. 'He has done the forestry sector a massive disservice by spreading such a rumour and it seems that he has now fooled the President of the Forest Owners Association.'
Under Kyoto, credits are awarded to nations against forest sinks. Once sinks are cut, or removed because of flood, fire or storm damage, credits awarded against that forestry have to be paid back. The government has assumed all the liabilities and credits for post 1990 forests. "
Flow-on costs of carbon tax will be widespread
New Zealand is proud of its 'green' reputation and considers itself a champion of the environment on the world stage.
Although not the first country to sign up to the Kyoto Protocol, it was certainly leading the charge, and it appears this is also the case in relation to the introduction of a carbon tax. "
New Zealand is proud of its 'green' reputation and considers itself a champion of the environment on the world stage.
Although not the first country to sign up to the Kyoto Protocol, it was certainly leading the charge, and it appears this is also the case in relation to the introduction of a carbon tax. "
White House official who doctored global warming reports quits
A senior official at the US's White House Council on Environmental Quality has resigned, days after a newspaper reported he changed some government reports to downplay links between greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. "
A senior official at the US's White House Council on Environmental Quality has resigned, days after a newspaper reported he changed some government reports to downplay links between greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. "
Conference Awards
Public Archaeology Award: Richard Walter and Chris Jacomb
Best Student Paper Award: Amy Findlater
Public Archaeology Award: Richard Walter and Chris Jacomb
Best Student Paper Award: Amy Findlater
High cost of Kyoto
New Zealand has signed up to a liability of $9 billion to $14 billion at today's value through its commitment to the Kyoto protocol, according to KPMG tax partner Greg Bishop.
Mr Bishop was speaking at a Wellington business gathering this week on the Government's latest tax moves, which include a carbon tax"
The terms of the second, third and fourth commitment periods have not been set by the Kyoto signatories.
The report assumes emissions units will cost $25 a tonne to $40 a tonne in the four commitment periods. It assumes New Zealand will have to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 5 per cent in each of the following second, third and fourth commitment periods.
New Zealand has signed up to a liability of $9 billion to $14 billion at today's value through its commitment to the Kyoto protocol, according to KPMG tax partner Greg Bishop.
Mr Bishop was speaking at a Wellington business gathering this week on the Government's latest tax moves, which include a carbon tax"
The terms of the second, third and fourth commitment periods have not been set by the Kyoto signatories.
The report assumes emissions units will cost $25 a tonne to $40 a tonne in the four commitment periods. It assumes New Zealand will have to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 5 per cent in each of the following second, third and fourth commitment periods.
World scientists urge CO2 action
The science academies of the world's leading nations are urging their governments to take prompt action to combat possible climate change.
They have agreed that all countries could and should take cost-effective action to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
The statement will be made on Wednesday by the academies of the G8 nations, including the UK's Royal Society, the US National Academy, China and Brazil.
They will make their voices heard ahead of July's G8 meeting in Scotland. "
The science academies of the world's leading nations are urging their governments to take prompt action to combat possible climate change.
They have agreed that all countries could and should take cost-effective action to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
The statement will be made on Wednesday by the academies of the G8 nations, including the UK's Royal Society, the US National Academy, China and Brazil.
They will make their voices heard ahead of July's G8 meeting in Scotland. "
Australia likely to meet Kyoto target
A crackdown on land clearing has led to a small drop in Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, despite huge growth in emissions caused by electricity generation and transport.
According to the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, emissions in 2003 were 1.1 per cent above 1990 levels - 1.4 per cent lower than the previous year's figure.
Environment Minister Ian Campbell hailed the figures as proof that the national climate strategy was working, but conceded more had to be done to wind back carbon and other greenhouse emissions. "It shows that the Government's policies are on track, but to be totally realistic about it, it shows that more needs to be done," he said.
A crackdown on land clearing has led to a small drop in Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, despite huge growth in emissions caused by electricity generation and transport.
According to the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, emissions in 2003 were 1.1 per cent above 1990 levels - 1.4 per cent lower than the previous year's figure.
Environment Minister Ian Campbell hailed the figures as proof that the national climate strategy was working, but conceded more had to be done to wind back carbon and other greenhouse emissions. "It shows that the Government's policies are on track, but to be totally realistic about it, it shows that more needs to be done," he said.
