Alan Finkel’s emissions target breaks Australia’s Paris commitments

Less than two weeks ago, Alan Finkel told the Senate his landmark report would help Australia meet the commitments it made in Paris to reduce its economy-wide emissions by 28% below 2005 levels by 2030.

The report by the chief scientist, Alan Finkel, has
 modelled a clean energy target that would reduce
 electricity emissions by 28% on 2005 levels.

But his recommendations on the future of the National Electricity Market, released today, appear to fly in the face of those very commitments.

Before Senate estimates Finkel said: “We are very cognisant of the commitment that the nation has made through the Paris accords.

“We absolutely need to deal with the issue of ensuring that the electricity sector can do its fair share in helping the nation to meet its obligations under the Paris accord – the COP21 accord.”

Now today, his landmark review of the National Electricity Market has modelled cuts to emissions of the electricity sector that are the same as what the entire economy needs to do: 28% below 2005 levels by 2050. He said anything deeper, which had been suggested in other reports, would cause problems.

Read Michael Slezak’s story on The Guardian - “Alan Finkel’s emissions target breaks Australia’s Paris commitments.”

(The Finkel Review, it has been argued, would be sufficient in content to end Australia’s “energy wars” - reports suggest the review has simply prepared the ground for further rhetorical debates further delaying any real action on addressing the drivers of climate change. Sadly the government, and other “responsible men”, will point the the work of Dr Finkel justifying their arguments for further inaction in dealing with and obvious and real cause of climate change, meaning that Australia will become even more of the free rider, a “leaner” in Joe Hockey’s terms, on the world community in playing its part in avoiding catastrophic climate change - Robert McLean)