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This document is produced from camera-ready copy prepared by the Senate
Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References
Committee Secretariat, and printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament
House, Canberra.
`The whole history of international environmental action has been of
arriving at a destination which looked impossibly distant at the moment
of departure.'
Tony Brenton, The Greening of Machiavelli
Terms of Reference
1. On 11 August 1999 the Senate referred the following matters to the
Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References
Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting day in August 2000
(which was later extended to 8 November 2000):
The progress and adequacy of Australia's policies to reduce global
warming, including:
(a) The effectiveness of Australian policies to reduce greenhouse emissions,
in the light of Australia's commitments under the Framework Convention
on Climate Change, including:
(i) whether Australia is likely to meet its commitments under the
Framework Convention December 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and the potential
costs if it does not;
(ii) the international response to the Framework Convention;
(iii) the development of an effective international and domestic
emissions trading system;
(iv) the effectiveness of Australia's policies in comparison to international
practice, such as emissions trading regimes and other measures;
(v) the level, and greenhouse implications, of the direct and indirect
economic incentives currently offered to both fossil fuel and renewable
energy projects;
(vi) the effectiveness of existing local, state and federal government
policies and programs and their implementation;
(vii) the economic, employment and development consequences of greenhouse
abatement measures with particular reference to regional Australia
and the differential impact on each state and territory;
(viii) the social and equity consequences of greenhouse abatement;
(ix) the effectiveness of industry programs and policies in actual
emissions reduction;
(x) Australia's contribution to global greenhouse gas abatement through
export of alternative energy sources;
(xi) additional measures including, but not limited to, carbon trading;
(xii) the adequacy and effectiveness of greenhouse gas emission inventories;
and
(xiii) the potential for carbon leakage associated with energy intensive
industries to countries not party to the framework convention;
(b) Whether Australian government programs and policies, both state
and Federal, are sufficient to provide for the development in Australia
of emerging renewable energy, energy efficiency industries, the more
efficient use of energy sources, the implementation of new energy technologies
(eg fuel cells, hydrogen), including:
(i) the effectiveness of Australia's efforts in relation to other
governments; and
(ii) the potential of these technologies to contribute to a reduction
in Australia's greenhouse emissions;
(c) Potential improvements to Australia's policies to reduce greenhouse
emissions, in the light of available studies of:
(i) current and projected fossil fuel use in Australia, taking into
account the effects of current greenhouse reduction policies, trends
in transport use of fuels, the use of energy by high-demand manufacturing,
and changes to electricity ownership and generation;
(ii) projected climate change impacts on Australian industries, such
as fishing, tourism, agriculture and others;
(iii) estimated costs of such economic impacts, to assist cost-benefit
analysis of various climate change abatement programs and policies;
(iv) the impact of current land management practices and policies
on current and projected greenhouse emissions, and the potential for
Australian agriculture in greenhouse abatement measures;
(v) the potential role for vegetation as carbon sinks and emissions
reduction by decreasing land clearing; and
(vii) the availability and effectiveness of other means of sequestration
as an abatement option; and
(i) reef systems;
(ii) alpine areas; and
(iii) wetland areas.
2. On 22 September 1999 the Senate referred the Convention on Climate
Change (Implementation) Bill 1999, a private senator's bill, to the Environment,
Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee,
to be considered in conjunction with the Committee's inquiry into global
warming.
This Bill seeks to give effect to Australia's obligations under the Framework
Convention on Climate Change, and provides for the establishment of regulatory
arrangements for Australia's greenhouse policy, including binding emissions
targets, a legislated emissions cap and a domestic system of emissions
trading.
Membership of the Committee - 39th Parliament
Members:
Senator Lyn Allison (Chair) (AD, VIC)
Senator John Tierney (Deputy Chair) (LP, NSW)
Senator Mark Bishop (ALP, WA)
Senator the Hon Nick Bolkus (ALP, SA)
Senator Kate Lundy (ALP, ACT)
Senator Tseben Tchen (LP, VIC)
Substitute Member:
Senator Jan McLucas (ALP, QLD) to substitute for Senator Bolkus for the
inquiry into Global Warming and the Convention on Climate Change (Implementation)
Bill 1999
Participating Members:
Senator the Hon Eric Abetz (LP, TAS)
Senator Andrew Bartlett (AD, QLD)
Senator the Hon Ron Boswell (NP, QLD)
Senator Bob Brown (AG, TAS)
Senator Paul Calvert (LP, TAS)
Senator George Campbell (ALP, NSW)
Senator Kim Carr (ALP, VIC)
Senator Grant Chapman (LP, SA)
Senator Helen Coonan (LP, NSW)
Senator Winston Crane (LP, WA)
Senator Alan Eggleston (LP, WA)
Senator the Hon John Faulkner (ALP, NSW)
Senator Alan Ferguson (LP, SA)
Senator Jeannie Ferris (LP, SA)
Senator the Hon Brian Gibson AM (LP, TAS)
Senator Brian Harradine (IND, TAS)
Senator Len Harris (PHON, QLD) |
Senator Steve Hutchins (ALP, NSW)
Senator Sue Knowles (LP, WA)
Senator Meg Lees (AD, SA)
Senator Sue Mackay (ALP, TAS)
Senator Brett Mason (LP, QLD)
Senator Julian McGauran (NPA, VIC)
Senator Jan McLucas (ALP, QLD)
Senator Shayne Murphy (ALP, TAS)
Senator Marise Payne (LP, NSW)
Senator the Hon Chris Schacht (ALP, SA)
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja (AD, SA)
Senator John Watson (LP, TAS)
Senator Aden Ridgeway (AD, NSW) appointed for
arts issues
Senator Vicki Bourne (AD, NSW) appointed for the
inquiry into the online delivery of ABC material |
Committee Secretariat
Secretary
Mr Richard Selth (to 29 February 2000)
Ms Roxane Le Guen (to 25 August 2000)
Ms Andrea Griffiths (from 28 August 2000)
Principal Research Officer
Dr Anthony Burke
Senior Research Officers
Ms Judy Lachele (SWIM Program Officer)
Ms Helen Grinbergs (seconded from the Australian Greenhouse Office)
Ms Patricia Burritt
Mr David Arnold (to 27 July 2000)
Executive Assistant
Ms Angela Mututu (to 13 September 2000)
Ms EmmaJane Will (from 11 September 2000)
Committee Address:
Environment, Communications, Information Technology
and the Arts References Committee
S1.57, Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Tel: 02 6277 3526
Fax: 02 6277 5818
Glossary
| ABARE |
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource
Economics |
| ABEC |
Australian Building Energy Council |
| ACA |
Australian Cogeneration Association (see AEA) |
| ACCC |
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
|
| ACF |
Australian Conservation Foundation |
| AEA |
Australian EcoGeneration Association (formerly
Australian Cogeneration Association) |
| AGA |
Australian Gas Association |
| AGO |
Australian Greenhouse Office |
| AIGN |
Australian Industry Greenhouse Network |
| ALGA |
Australian Local Government Association |
| AMEIF |
Australian Municipal Energy Improvement Facility
|
| Anthropogenic |
Caused by human activity, in relation to climate
change it describes greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human
activities. |
| ANZECC |
Australia and New Zealand Environment and Conservation
Council |
| AOGCMs |
ocean-atmosphere global climate models |
| ARA |
Australasian Railways Association |
| ARMCANZ |
Agriculture and Resource Management Council
of Australia and New Zealand |
| BAU |
`business-as-usual' scenario |
| BCA |
Business Council of Australia |
| BFG |
Bush For Greenhouse |
| CANA |
Climate Action Network Australia |
| CCA |
Coca-Cola Amatil |
| CCP |
Cities for Climate ProtectionTM |
| CDM |
Clean Development Mechanism |
| CERs |
certified emission reductions |
| CH4 |
methane |
| CIF |
Cement Industry Federation |
| CNG |
Compressed Natural Gas |
| CO2 |
carbon dioxide |
| COAG |
Council of Australian Governments |
| CoP |
Conference of the Parties |
| DISR |
Department of Industry, Science and Resources
|
| DNV |
Det Norske Veritas |
| EEBPP |
Energy Efficiency Best Practice Program |
| ENSO |
El Nino-Southern Oscillation |
| EPBC Act |
Environmental Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999 |
| ERUs |
emission reduction units |
| ESAA |
Electricity Supply Association of Australia |
| ETI |
Energy Technology Investments |
| EU |
European Union |
| FBT |
Fringe Benefits Tax |
| FCCC |
Framework Convention on Climate Change |
| FE |
`frozen' or `static' efficiency assumption
|
| GDP |
Gross Domestic Product |
| GEF |
Global Environment Facility |
| GEMS |
Greenhouse Energy Management System |
| GGAP |
Greenhouse Gas Abatement Program |
| GNE |
Gross National Expenditure |
| Gt |
Giga (billion) tonnes |
| GTEM |
Global Trade and Environment Model |
| GWP |
Global warming potential |
| HADCM3 |
Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research
latest climate change model |
| HFCs |
Hydrofluorocarbons |
| ICLEI |
International Council of Local Environment
Initiatives |
| ICSU |
International Council of Scientific Unions
|
| INC |
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee |
| IPART |
NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal
|
| IPCC |
Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change |
| JI |
Joint Implementation |
| LNG |
Liquefied Natural Gas |
| LPG |
Liquid Petroleum Gas |
| LUC |
Land use change |
| LULUCF |
Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry |
| MEPS |
Minimum Energy Performance Standards |
| MMA |
McLennan Maganasik |
| Mt |
Mega (million) tonnes |
| N2O |
nitrous oxide |
| NCC |
National Competition Council |
| NCP |
National Competition Policy |
| NEC |
National Electricity Code |
| NECA |
National Electricity Code Administrator |
| NEEP |
National Energy Efficiency Program |
| NEM |
National Electricity Market |
| NEMMCO |
National Electricity Market Management Company
|
| NEPC |
National Environment Protection Council |
| NEPM |
National Environment Protection Measure |
| NGAP |
National Green Power Accreditation Program
|
| NGGI |
National Greenhouse Gas Inventory |
| NGS |
National Greenhouse Strategy |
| NSSP |
National Strategy Study Program |
| OECD |
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development |
| OEM |
original equipment manufacture |
| PFCs |
Perfluorocarbons |
| PMSEIC |
Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation
Council |
| Ppbv |
Parts per billion by volume |
| PPMFA |
Pulp and Paper Manufacturers Federation of
Australia |
| ppmv |
Parts per million by volume |
| PVRP |
Photovoltaic Rebate Program |
| QCC |
Queensland Conservation Council |
| R&D |
Research and Development |
| RECP |
Renewable Energy Commercialisation Program |
| REEA |
Renewable Energy Action Agenda |
| REEF |
Renewable Energy Equity Fund |
| RESP |
Renewable Energy Showcase Program |
| RFAs |
State Regional Forest Agreements |
| RRPGP |
Renewable Remote Power Generation Program |
| SCARM |
Standing Committee on Agriculture and Resource
Management |
| SECV |
State Electricity Commission of Victoria |
| SEDA |
Sustainable Energy Development Authority |
| SEIA |
Sustainable Energy Industry Association |
| SF6 |
sulphur hexafluoride |
| SRES |
Special Report on Emissions Scenarios |
| UNEP |
United Nations Environment Program |
| UNFCCC |
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change |
| UNSWTP |
University of NSW Transport Program |
| VEEP |
Voluntary Energy Efficiency Program |
| WCP |
World Climate Program |
| WMO |
World Meteorological Organization |
| WWF |
World Wildlife Fund |
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