Key+Solution+-+Reduce+Carbon+Emissions

The increased use of alternative energy sources will result in us becoming less reliant on coal and oil fueled energy. However, to effectively tackle the climate change challenge, other steps to reduce carbon emissions will also be crucial.

__Policy__

It is vital that policy is used to tackle climate change. The Australian Government is making a difference, by implementing laws and making economic decisions. The Government's first step, during the election campaign in late 2007 was to commission the Garnaut Climate Change Review, to provide it with a sound base for decision making. The Government then immediately on being elected ratified the Kyoto Protocol, committing Australia to the meeting of specified carbon emission targets.

The Government is establishing the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme as part of its approach to reducing carbon emissions. By placing a cost on carbon pollution, the Scheme will encourage polluting businesses to become cleaner. As the cost of carbon pollution will need to be taken into account in their business decisions (or otherwise it will cost them), businesses will be encouraged to be more carbon efficient in a very real way. The businesses which do this well will be more competitive and ultimately the choices made by households will reward the more efficient businesses. They also commissioned the Gaurnat Climate Change Review. This review states that "unmitigated climate change, or mitigation too weak to avoid dangerous climate change, could give human society such a shock". Effective comprehensive global agreement to a carbon emissions objective (we are currently at 385, the suggested target is 450 and the worst case is over 1000 by 2050) is needed and agreed to by the international community at the next meeting in Copenhagen. __Carbon Trading__

Carbon trading is emissions trading specifically for carbon dioxide. It is one of the ways countries can meet their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce carbon emissions.

Carbon emissions trading involves the trading of permits which are issued to businesses to allow the emissions of certain greenhouse gases. The trading can be between both between businesses within a country and between countries. Those businesses which can reduce their emissions can trade excess permits to businesses which pollute more. Likewise, where a country would otherwise not meet its target, it can buy permits from countries that have reduced emission to below their targets.

Carbon emissions trading has been steadily increasing in recent years. Carbon trading is a fair and, for those with excess permits, a profitable way to reduce carbon emissions and to help confront global warming. 