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Australia on track to meet Kyoto targets

by Maireid Sullivan | February 24, 2008 at 10:01 pm | 203 views | add comment

This report simply can't be genuine. The Aust. government has just opened up it's skies to allow more airlines to fly to and from Australia, and, both Sydney and Melbourne are dredging their harbours in order to meet "industrial estate" requirements for increased shipping, when just last week a leaked UN report showed shipping emissions are twice that of airline emissions. ...so, Australia is really planning on increasing pollution, not decreasing it.
The Age, February 25, 2008

Australia is on track to meet its targeted reduction in greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says.
Senator Wong on Monday released a report card showing the federal government's policies would trigger greater emissions reductions than had been forecast under the former government.

"By 2020, Australia's emissions will be 120 per cent of 1990 levels," Senator Wong said.

"That is a reduction of 38 million tonnes on the 2006 forecast of 127 per cent, 20 million tonnes more than if we hadn't expanded the renewable energy target."

Senator Wong said Australia was on track to have emissions at 108 per cent of 1990 levels for 2008 to 2012.

Total emissions compared with 1990 were still expected to go up in future years because of Australia's growing population.