Posts tagged ‘Emissions’
The Electric Boogalo Shuffle
As anyone who follows these pages regularly would know, Victoria has a lot of Brown Coal. We dig massive holes the size of towns so can we burn it to heat water to make steam which makes our electricity. We also have plans to dig even more of it up so we can get other countries to burn it on our behalf. And if that doesn’t work we’ll bury it underground again after we’ve burnt it so we can continue to dig crater like holes in the Victorian countryside.
In fact – rather then withering on a vine Victoria’s brown coal industry looks like it might be set for a new vintage. The Age recently reported that a Transport Department submission revealed a possible $24 billion could be invested in brown coal over the next decade. (more…)
What does a white paper, a green premier and a yellow government have in common?
Taking Action one report at a time
The Brumby government recently released its Climate Change White Paper, The Action Plan, to much fanfare and praise. Media outlets lauded the plan with headlines like “Brumby lays down gauntlet on carbon” and “Premier’s bold plan on climate takes lead”. Yet those with long memories may well remember another Victorian labor climate announcement that was also the toast of the town.
Back in June 2002 the Bracks government unveiled its Victorian Greenhouse Strategy (VGS). Media releases of the time promised that the strategy would “reduce Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions by five to eight million tonnes by 2010”. It would “position Victoria to prosper in a future carbon constrained economy” and “a number of drivers are now in place that will lead to an increased take-up… in the renewable energy sector over the next decade”.
In 2002 our total emissions were 120.5 million tonnes (Mt). The most recent data from the government shows in 2008 that the State’s emissions were 119 Mt and in 2006 were at an all time high of 126 Mt. That’s a long way from the promises laid down in the VGS. (more…)
