UK: Australia's ETS defeat "threatens Copenhagen"

Sunk - by the Aussies!

It’s the gift that keeps on giving! News of the ETS defeat has spread far and wide. Not only have we sunk the domestic ETS, but the UK Telegraph reports that our actions might scupper any remaining vestiges of a chance of a deal at Copenhagen:

Australia has dealt a major blow to any international deal on climate change ahead of the Copenhagen summit by failing to introduce new laws to control pollution.

The carbon trading bill, which has been rejected by parliament, would have set up one of the world’s biggest “cap and trade” markets.

The scheme works by limiting the amount of greenhouse gases industry can produce and forcing them to pay money for any extra emissions by trading with other companies.

But the Australian Senate, that is already deeply divided over the science of climate change, voted down the new legislation.

It is not only damaging to Kevin Rudd, the country’s Prime Minister, but could scupper efforts to control greenhouse gases on a wider scale at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen later this month.

Mr Rudd was seen as a leading advocate of tackling climate change on the world stage and was on his way back from a meeting with President Obama on the issue when news of the defeat came through.

…

Frank Jotzo, an Australian National University expert on international climate change negotiations, said the failure of Australia to introduce legislation will make developing countries less likely to agree to cut their own emissions.

“It’s not like the talks will stall because of the lack of an Australian emissions trading scheme,” he said. “But if the legislation had been passed, that would have sent a very positive signal internationally and, in particular, to developing countries.”

I am looking forward to Rudd’s forlorn entrance to Copenhagen – empty handed.

Read it here.