Capitulation on climate change ignores evidence and will come at a cost

The Hazelwood power station in Victoria -
it seems the sun is
setting on such energy suppliers.

In a world of post-fact politics, this is a doozy.

The government is armed with a raft of evidence – from government agencies, the energy industry, business groups – that the electricity sector is in chaos.

Ageing, failing coal plants are shutting down abruptly and haphazardly – nine in the past seven years, with the giant Hazelwood station in Victoria to join them in March. More will follow.

Wind farms are being built to meet a national renewable energy target that was only ever designed to be a policy add-on. The target has kept a growing industry alive – just, at times – but was never meant to drive the change to a modern electricity scheme.

Read Adam Morton comment in today’s Melbourne Age - “Capitulation on climate change ignores evidence and will come at a cost.”