John Howard sets green energy targets

September 25, 2007

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has announced a national "Clean Energy Target". The target requires that by 2020, 30,000 gigawatt hours of electricity each year comes from low emissions sources. The plan is an attempt to consolidate the different state-based targets.

"What this initiative will do is gather up all of the different state schemes, many of which are contradictory or at the very least dissimilar," Mr Howard said.

The announcement was criticised by Labor environment spokesman Peter Garrett. "This is just piggybacking on the hard work of state Labor governments," Mr Garrett said. "The Howard Government has an appalling record on renewable energy and cannot be trusted to deliver on this commitment.

The Greens pointed out that the target did not take account of an increase in demand. “Under the Prime Minister’s target, greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector will blow out to be 44% higher than the present day, because this feeble addition of low emission technology won’t be able to keep pace with growth in electricity demand," said Greens Senate candidate Scott Ludlam.