THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
Cabinet Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
MEDIA RELEASE
MARK DREYFUS BRIEFS FOREIGN EMBASSY OFFICIALS ON AUSTRALIA’S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Mark Dreyfus briefed heads of diplomatic missions in Canberra today on key elements of the Government's Clean Energy Future package.
At a briefing of more than 80 Ambassadors, Heads of Mission and foreign diplomats, Mr Dreyfus said the Government's plan for a Clean Energy Future will position Australia to take best advantage of the global trend towards low-carbon economic growth.
"The decision to put a price on carbon will transform the Australian economy by creating a competitive advantage for business, investors, researchers and innovators who find cleaner ways of doing business," Mr Dreyfus said.
"The Gillard Government's plan puts Australia among a large group of countries - including all the major emitters - already acting to reduce carbon pollution."
"Many countries have introduced, or are planning market-based emissions trading schemes or initiatives to price carbon.
"Far from leading the world as the Opposition has repeatedly claimed, we know from the Productivity Commission report earlier this year that Australia's policies currently put us in the middle of the pack, and in fact we are at risk of falling behind.
"Australia's top five trading partners-China, Japan, the United States, the Republic of Korea and India-and another six of our top twenty trading partners have implemented or are piloting carbon trading or pricing schemes at national, state or city level.
"As we look toward the next United Nations climate conference in Durban in December, these domestic actions are the best building blocks we have to put the world on a path to a clean energy future" Mr Dreyfus said.
Further information about the Government's plan for a Clean Energy Future and carbon price announcement is available at www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au.
WEDNESDAY, 20 JULY 2011
