Ambitious climate action a 'double win' for economy in coronavirus recovery

Industry groups and climate change experts are calling on the government to use the economic recovery effort after the disruption from the global coronavirus pandemic to generate jobs and economic growth by rolling out low-emissions technologies.

Emissions reduction action like solar panel installation could
help recover from the economic downturn of the coronavirus.

On Wednesday the UK government announced it had postponed the United Nations climate change conference which it was set to host in Glasgow in November. It is expected to be reconvened some time next year.

Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor said the federal government remains "committed to the Paris Agreement" and the Morrison government has previously promised to release a long-term emission reduction strategy ahead of the UN talks, backed with an "investment roadmap" to guide government expenditure on emissions reduction technologies.

Anna Skarbek, chief executive of the ClimateWorks policy advisory body with Monash University, said the actions needed to achieve our climate commitments are compatible with economic stimulus to recover from the pandemic.

Read the story from The Age by Mike Foley - “Ambitious climate action a 'double win' for economy in coronavirus recovery.”

Bill Shorten under pressure to reveal cost of carbon plan

Labor is fending off calls to reveal the full cost of its new plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions across Australian manufacturing as industry groups predict a hit to economic growth from the “challenging” target.

The 2019 federal budget is set to bring forward income tax
cuts and deliver a surplus for the first time in 12 years.

The nation’s biggest employers warned of the economic cost of the scheme and called for answers on the size of the financial burden a Labor government would place on industries ranging from gas exporters to steelmakers.

Read the story from The Age by David Crowe - ”Bill Shorten under pressure to reveal cost of carbon plan.”

NEG’s new framework may raise costs, industry groups say

Energy industry groups are concerned the National Energy Guarantee may create barriers for new companies entering the electricity market and fail to cut power costs.

Industry groups warned that the NEG may make it more
 difficult for competition in the energy market.

It comes as stakeholders gathered on Monday to discuss the framework for the NEG at the Energy Security Board public forum.

The public forum examined the different design options for the National Energy Guarantee and sought to act as a vehicle for discussion to achieve what ESB deputy chairwoman, Clare Savage, called "a high-level model for the COAG Energy Council" rather than showcasing a final result.

Read Cole Latimer’s story in The Age - “NEG’s new framework may raise costs, industry groups say.”