Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency

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The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (German: Ministry for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency ) was a ministry of the Australian federal government , which was led by Minister Greg Combet of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) until 2013 . Since then, the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education has been responsible for environmental policy under the Conservative government .

Current climate policy

Australia is one of the largest emitters of CO 2 per capita in the world. 80% of Australia's energy production is based on coal. Furthermore, there are no nuclear power plants in Australia and there are no plans to build any, on the other hand Australia is one of the countries with the largest volumes of uranium mining .

In July 2011, the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that the ALP government wants to reduce CO 2 emissions by 80% by 2050 instead of the 60% previously announced in 2000. In order to achieve the target, it should also be possible to buy energy from abroad. Bob Brown , the party leader of the Australian Greens , said that this would make Australia one of the leading nations in climate policy . A controversial CO 2 tax was introduced in Australia from July 2012, which is to be replaced by emissions trading three years later . The introduction of the controversial emissions trading system had already led to the dismissal of the previous ALP Prime Minister Kevin Rudd by his own party.

Around 500 companies, which are responsible for 60% of Australia's CO 2 emissions, are charged with this tax. The tax called carbon tax is around 17 euros per tonne of CO 2 emissions. Because most of these costs are passed on to consumers, the government has decided to give middle- and low-income tax breaks and benefits to roughly 90% of Australian households.

The social financial equalization consists of a package of measures:

  • Even before the carbon tax was introduced from July 2012, from May 2012, compensation was paid out to the lower-income sections of the Australian population ( lump sum bonus (re-) payments ). These CASH bonuses (also called Clean Energy Advance ) are a reimbursement similar to that for the CO 2 steering tax in Switzerland . In other words, per capita lump sums, similar to the one discussed for the eco bonus with regard to eco taxes in Germany and Europe: AU $ 100 per child, up to AU $ 300 for the needy per year. In Australia, unlike in Switzerland, these payments are subject to a means test.
  • Tax relief of AU $ 300 per year for over 6 million Australians with incomes less than AU $ 80,000.
  • In addition, part-time workers, students, non-full-time single parents and retirees received benefits because the government decided to increase the tax allowance from AU $ 6,000 to AU $ 18,000 ($ 336 per week) in July 2012.

With the bonus payment, the government learned from the failure of the previous government. Finance Minister Wayne Swan said the government understand the concerns about the potential cost of living due to the CO 2 -tax ( "that the Government of understood families' concerns about the potential cost-of-living impact of the carbon tax"). The social policy measures complement the "Household Assistance Package" and are included in a far-reaching plan for the future development of renewable energies ("Clean Energy Future Plan").

history

A first Department of Climate Change was decided by the Australian government on December 3, 2007 and on March 8, 2008 after the change of government, the so-called expiry of the Machinery of Government Changes , as a new ministry with the name Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency established.

Policy approach of the ministry

The policy of this ALP-led ministry is based on a corporate plan 2010/2011 with three pillars:

  • Energy saving through
  1. Establishing a price for CO 2 emissions
  2. Improve energy efficiency
  3. Promotion of renewable energy, reduction of CO 2 -generating energy
  • Adjustment by
  1. Renewal of federal policy and program
  2. Promotion of science and information
  3. Implementation of a national reform
  • International commitment
  1. Multilateral negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
  2. Strategic partnerships

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Nzz.ch : Heidi Gmür: Australia has set itself an ambitious climate target , Neue Zürcher Zeitung of July 11, 2011, accessed on October 9, 2011
  2. ↑ Samantha Maiden, Sunday Telegraph, Lump sum for families to ease carbon tax pain , April 7, 2012 ("From the new financial year, workers will be able to earn $ 336 a week without paying tax under the tripling of the tax-free threshold to compensate for the carbon tax. ") (Text in English)
  3. ↑ Federal Government of Australia, Household Assistance Package , accessed June 18, 2013
  4. ↑ Australian Federal Government, Clean Energy Future Plan ( Memento August 7, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (English) accessed June 18, 2013
  5. ↑ climatechange.gov.au : About Us, in English, accessed on October 9, 2011
  6. ↑ climatechange.gov.au : Corporate Plan 2010, in English, accessed on October 9, 2011