MEDIA RELEASE
02 December 2009
Australia may lose years of green investment after CPRS defeat
NATIONAL: Australia risks losing two years of green investment after the defeat of the
Government’s emissions trading scheme in the Senate today, according to the Clean Energy
Council.
Clean Energy Council chief executive Matthew Warren said the defeat of the Carbon Pollution
Reduction Scheme was a lost chance to start the transition to a low-carbon economy.
“The amended CPRS was not perfect, but it was a start. Decarbonising the Australian economy
is the single biggest policy transformation in modern history. Delay does not help reduce
emissions, not does it help business invest,” he said.
“If you continue to wait for the next computer model because it’s a bit better than the current
one, you’ll never throw out your old typewriter.
“The defeat of this CPRS means we could now be two years behind where we need to be in our
efforts to combat dangerous climate change, and in the meantime we will learn nothing.
“Until the scheme is finalised, businesses will continue to focus on minimising their commercial
risk and negotiating for additional concessions. When a scheme is in place, they will
concentrate on investments to increase their competitive advantage in a carbon-constrained
economy.”
For media enquiries please call Mark Bretherton 0413 556 981 or 03 9929 4111
The Clean Energy Council, the peak body for the clean energy sector. It is working with all Australian
governments to ensure a secure and diversified energy sector, a reduction in energy waste including the
take up of solar water heating and insulation and more clean energy sources in our stationary energy mix
from solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, wave, bioenergy and gas.
Suite 201, 18 Kavanagh Street, Southbank 3006, Australia
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