Scientists call for stronger e-targets

Two Australian scientists on the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have welcomed the Federal Government's move to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but say it does not go far enough.

They say the Government needs stronger targets if it wants to prevent global temperatures rising by more than 2 degrees Celsius.

The Government has declared it will reduce carbon pollution by 5 per cent by 2020 and by 15 per cent if there is an international agreement.

IPCC lead author Professor Andy Pitman has [said] it is a good start, but it does not go far enough.

"The science is uncertain, but it's uncertain in the range of 25 to 50 per cent, not 5 per cent or 10 per cent or 15 per cent," he said.

"It needs to be much deeper than that if we want to avoid dangerous, anthropogenic climate change."

Greens want Senate enquiry on emissions

The Government will introduce legislation for the scheme, which is due to begin in July 2010, early next year, and needs the support of either the Coalition or the Greens and independent senators to pass the laws.

The Greens have condemned the 5 per cent emissions reduction target as inadequate, saying they want a minimum target of 25 per cent.

"The Greens are open and listening to the public and the experts on this," Senator Brown [said.]

"We'll see what the legislation brings to the Parliament and the consequence of the Senate inquiry, and we'll make a very strong judgement based on that."

Senator Brown also described the Government's figures on per capita reduction emissions as a "fudge".

He dismissed the Government's argument that its per capita emissions target matches the European Union's target of 20 per cent cuts.

"The agreement the whole world has come to has to be measured on national output," he said.

"What has to be measured here is where every country is going in terms of increasing or decreasing emissions."

But Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says the Greens position leaves no room for negotiation.

"The Greens have a target of carbon neutrality - that is no net emissions by Australia at the latest by 2050 - but I don't believe they have a real plan to get there," she [said.]

"It seems Senator Brown is in a position which makes makes it very difficult for the Government to negotiate with him."

Senator Wong has also defended the Government's target based on the reduction of emissions per head of population.

"Between 1990 and 2020, [a 15 per cent target] represents a 41 per cent reduction in carbon emissions for every man, woman, and child in Australia over that time," she said.

"That gives you some sense of the scale of that challenge and the scale of that task and that's why we've put in place a comprehensive scheme."

The Opposition will not reveal its position on the scheme until it completes an independent review into yesterday's white paper.

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"This is about the Government delivering on its commitment to ensure that the monies raised from the scheme are invested back into Australian businesses and Australian households to enable everyone to make the transition to a low-pollution future," she said.

Seven arrested at Gunns mill protest

Police have arrested seven protesters who halted operations at Gunns' Triabunna woodchip mill on Tasmania's east coast this morning.

The activists arrived early this morning and seven of them chained themselves to a conveyor belt high above the woodchip pile.

They flew a banner saying "Gunns Limited equals Climate criminals" and they were angry about yesterday's 5 per cent carbon reduction target set by the Federal Government.

Police have now cut the protesters free and arrested them, ending the six-hour blockade.

Inspector Andrew Fogarty of Tasmania Police says the activists drove through the open front gate and will be charged with trespass.

They were driven out in a police van to jeers from contractors.

About 40 log trucks have started moving into the mill grounds to unload.

Gunns would not comment on the incident, only saying the company plants about 15 million seedlings a year, more than any other company in Australia.

Related:

Scientists call for stronger e-targets
Two Australian scientists on the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have welcomed the Federal Government's move to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but say it does not go far enough.

Wong announces $1.4b climate change fund
"This is about the Government delivering on its commitment to ensure that the monies raised from the scheme are invested back into Australian businesses and Australian households to enable everyone to make the transition to a low-pollution future," she said.

Wong announces $1.4b climate change fund

"This is a very substantial investment in small businesses and also community organisations to enable them to move to a low-pollution future." (File Photo) (From Little Things Big Things Grow.)

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says small businesses and community groups will get $1.4 billion over five years to help them adjust to the introduction of an emissions trading scheme.

The money will be available to businesses and groups purchasing energy efficient equipment through a Climate Change Action Fund.

She says there will also be grants for developing long-term energy-efficiency plans.

"This is about the Government delivering on its commitment to ensure that the monies raised from the scheme are invested back into Australian businesses and Australian households to enable everyone to make the transition to a low-pollution future," she said.

"This is a very substantial investment in small businesses and also community organisations to enable them to move to a low-pollution future."

Updated: 12:34pm (AEDT)

Rudd locks in 5pc emissions cut

The Federal Government has also promised around $6 billion a year in compensation and a 2.5 per cent rise in pension rates to help households cope with expected price rises when the carbon pollution reduction scheme begins in 2010.

It is estimated there will be a one-off rise in inflation of 1.1 per cent with the introduction of the scheme, and growth will slow by just 0.1 per cent a year to 2050.

The details of how the scheme will work and its expected cost to homes and businesses has been outlined in the Government's white paper released today.

The paper says by 2020 Australia will cut its emissions by 5 per cent of 2000 levels even if no progress has been made to finalise the next international agreement to reduce global emissions.

The 5 per cent cut is likely to anger the Greens and environmental groups who have been calling for a much stronger mid-term cut in emissions.

But it is closer to the level some business and industry groups were lobbying for.

The Government has left the door open to cut Australia's emissions by up to 15 per cent if other major economies also agree to significantly reduce emissions and advanced economies take similar action on cuts.

It has also reaffirmed its commitment to cut emissions levels by 60 per cent of 2000 levels by 2050.

The Government says it agrees with its climate change adviser Ross Garnaut's recommendation that a 25 per cent cut in emissions is in the national interest but that international agreement on a larger cut at international talks next year is unlikely.

"Australia's commitment of a 5 -15 per cent reduction by 2020 is a serious and credible commitment to the global action required and is realistically attainable in the current circumstances," the paper says.

Household compensation

The Government says around $6 billion a year will be provided through various measures to compensate families for price rises and estimates around 90 per cent of low income households will receive assistance of 120 per cent of their increase in cost of living expenses.

Aged pensioners, seniors, carers and those with a disability would receive a 2.5 per cent increase in the rate of the pension once the scheme begins.

Low and middle income families would be eligible for a range of measures through increases in the low income tax offset, a 2.5 per cent increase of Family Tax Benefit Part A or Family Tax Benefit Part B.

The white paper estimates that with a carbon price of $25 per tonne, electricity is expected to increase by around $4 per week, with a rise in gas prices of around $2.

Despite a large drop in petrol prices in recent months the Government will keep its cut in the fuel excise announced in the green paper on a cent-for-cent basis as the scheme causes a petrol prices rise.

Around $2.5 billion, as part of the Climate Change Action Fund, will also be allocated to help small businesses and community groups adapt to the scheme and lower emissions.

Trade exposed industries

The Government has increased the amount of free permits allocated in its green paper to those industries described as trade exposed because they face international competition and cannot pass the cost of a trading scheme onto consumers.

One threshold for eligibility has also been lowered, meaning more companies will be covered by the assistance.

The amount of free permits available to those industries - such as aluminium, cement, lime and silicone production - has been increased to 25 per cent, compared to 20 per cent flagged in the green paper.

That amount would rise to 35 per cent once agriculture is included in the scheme, which is not expected until at least 2015.

Industries now also have the choice of being assessed for assistance via two different tests based on either revenue or the value it adds to the product in the manufacturing process.

If an industry produces over 2,000 tonnes of emissions per million dollars of revenue or 6,000 tonnes of emissions in the value it adds to a product it is eligible for 90 per cent of free permits.

If it produces over 1,000 tonnes of emissions per million dollars of revenue or 3,000 tonnes of emissions in the value it adds to a produce it is eligible for 60 per cent of free permits.

The Electricity Sector Adjustment Scheme will also provide $3.9 billion assistance to coal fired power generators over the next five years.

Updated: 1:38pm (AEDT)

5pc target a global embarrassment

Greens Senator Christine Milne says the emissions reduction targets are extremely weak and disappointing.

"This is a complete failure of a system," she said.

"Five per cent is a global embarrassment, 15 per cent is way below even the minimum the rest of the world wants to see.

"The Europeans have said 20 per cent targets by 2020. How can the Rudd Government face the rest of the world when Australia has done nothing?"

The WWF environment group is also unhappy with the announcement, with Australian director Ray Nias describing the 5 per cent target is deeply disappointing.

"It commits Australia to long-term dangerous climate change [and] it will make Australia's ability to negotiate global agreements very, very difficult," he said.

"Its much lower than even we had imagined the worst case being."

Three protesters had to be [thrown] out of the National Press Club in Canberra this lunchtime as Rudd was speaking about the decision.

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Govt 'hindering' Poland climate change talks

'Australia should have stayed home': Bob Brown

The Greens say the Federal Government is hindering international climate change talks in Poland and should not have taken part.

The Government has not yet outlined its mid-term target for emissions reductions by 2020 but there is speculation cuts of between five and 25 per cent are being considered, depending on what international consensus is reached.

Greens leader Bob Brown says the Government's inaction is working against both Australian and international interests.

"This is dangerous climate change - Australia should be at least arguing for at least a minimum 25 per cent reduction," he said.

"It should be 40 per cent reduction by 2020.

"But Australia is acting as a spoiler. It would be better if Australia had stayed home.

"That would be a help, a better outcome in Poznan than the one we're going to get."

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Australia squibs on climate promise

The Rudd Government has reneged on a commitment to present its 2020 target to cut greenhouse gases to UN climate talks that start today.

The back-pedalling comes amid wrangling in cabinet over how far to go with curbing emissions.

The Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong, yesterday defended the decision not to announce the target before she left for the talks in the Polish city of Poznan. She refused to comment on whether cabinet was divided over the target, which is expected to fall significantly below the level called for by European ministers, climate scientists and environmentalists who will attend the talks.

"It is the case that we said we would release the targets in December and we had indicated before Poznan," she said. But she said it was important to postpone the announcement until she released the final version of the Government's carbon pollution reduction scheme on December 15 - after she returned from Poland.

Until late last week Senator Wong repeatedly said the range of emissions cuts for the 2020 target would be set before she went to Poznan. "The intention is to announce, as I have said, our midterm target range prior to the Poznan negotiations. And that's the terms, the timetable, the Government's working on," she said on October 2.

Under intense lobbying from business and on the advice of senior officials, the Government is discussing setting a range of targets to cut greenhouse emissions by 2020. The target is now expected to be cuts between 5 per cent and 15 per cent of emissions, based on 2000 levels. This is significantly below the cuts of 25 to 40 per cent being called for by the European Union and climate scientists. The European environment ministers argue that developed countries such as Australia must agree to the higher cuts if they want to secure a new global agreement that will avoid dangerous climate change.

At last year's UN climate talks in Bali, all developed countries that had signed the Kyoto Protocol, including Australia, agreed to cuts between 25 and 40 per cent. China, India and Brazil, the fastest growing greenhouse gas polluters, argue that they will not make commitments to slow their emissions if developed countries fail to agree to this level of cuts.

By delaying the announcement of Australia's 2020 target, Senator Wong will avoid intense international criticism of Australia from European negotiators and environment groups if cabinet sets a weaker 2020 target range.

The chief executive of the environment group WWF, Greg Bourne, said Senator Wong would "be laughed out of Poznan" if she announced at the UN talks that Australia's 2020 target was between 5 and 15 per cent. Asked if she was avoiding making the announcement in Poland because of the international criticism, Senator Wong said: "I am not going to comment on a hypothetical."

The head of the Australian Conservation Council, Don Henry, said Australia needed to cut its emissions by at least a third by 2020 if it wanted to be a credible player at the UN talks.

While Europe has already promised cuts of 20 per cent, Senator Wong said few countries had yet announced firm targets for their cuts and many would not be completed until the final round of talks next year in Copenhagen.

Greens lash emissions target 'cop-out'

Greens leader Bob Brown has hit out at the Federal Government over its decision not to take a concrete emissions cut target to key climate talks starting in Poland today.

The climb-down has provoked an angry response from Senator Brown, who says it has damaged Australia's climate change credentials.

"This is a complete shemozzle from the Government. Here's Australia, which was the big sensation at Bali is going to be the big cop-out at Poznan," he said.

"It's all happened in 12 months, it's quite astonishing."

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Carbon dioxide rose 0.5 per cent from 2006 to reach 383.1 parts per million, while nitrous oxide levels were up 0.25 per cent, according to latest WMO statistics.

Methane meanwhile increased 0.34 per cent, surpassing the highest level recorded in 2003.

"Using the NOAA Annual greenhouse gas index, the total warming effect of all long-lived greenhouse gases was calculated to have increased by 1.06 per cent from the previous year and by 24.2 per cent since 1990," said the WMO.

Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have risen 37 per cent since the 18th century, added the WMO.

Pay those who produce solar power: report

The Clean Energy Council is calling for a national scheme that would see people paid for generating solar energy.

A report by Access Economics has recommended a gross feed-in tariff to drive investment in solar energy over the next 20 years.

Under the $16-billion scheme households and businesses would be paid for the energy they produce, even if they use it themselves.

Matthew Warren from the Clean Energy Council says it would trigger huge growth in the renewable energy sector.

"While we've had this huge boom in the residential sector, we're still falling relative to the rate at which other countries are installing and deploying solar energy," he said.

"So that suggests that while we're doing very well, there's still a lot of opportunities for increased take-up of solar power."

He said it will have benefits for the power sector as well.

"They save a lot of costs in transmission losses and infrastructure build that we're used to seeing with large scale energy sources like coal-fired power stations and gas power stations," he said.

"So a gross feed-in tariff is a direct mechanism to fully compensate and reflect the value of that distributed electricity source."

Greenpeace trio fined over smoke stack stunt

Protesters paint 'solar' on a smoke stack at Swanbank Power Station in July.

Three Greenpeace activists who scaled a smoke stack at a power station west of Brisbane have been ordered to pay more than $23,000 in damages.

Pete Cooper, Paul Grajewski and Julien Vincent, all from Sydney, pleaded guilty in the Ipswich Magistrates Court today.

In July, the protesters scaled the 140-metre high tower at Swanbank and painted the words 'Go Solar' in giant letters.

No convictions were recorded but they were each fined $500 and ordered to pay the clean-up costs.

Mr Vincent, 27, says he would do it all again despite the hefty clean-up bill.

He says he and his colleagues will continue to speak out.

"This sort of thing is happening all around Australia, so I think so long as this issue is still remaining remaining critical and so long as there is no real response from government which reflects what we need, then I think the culture is very much one where action on greenhouse emissions is becoming the norm," he said.

Charges against nine other protesters were also heard today.

All pleaded guilty and were fined $300 each.

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Sea-level rise threat to coast
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Sea-level rise threat to coast

SYDNEY'S iconic beaches, coastal houses, commercial property and roads will be threatened by rising sea levels by 2050, while the city's temperature is expected to rise by at least 2 degrees, a new scientific study, launched by the Premier, Nathan Rees, reveals.

"Today, the science is in for Sydney," Mr Rees said yesterday as he proclaimed the influence of the climate sceptic and former treasurer Michael Costa at an end in NSW.

"The Costa era of ambiguity around this issue is over. Along with the rest of the NSW public, I recognise that climate change is a reality and that the NSW Government needs to prepare for it," the Premier said. "There is no longer a climate-change sceptic at the centre of government decision-making in this state".

The study commissioned by the NSW Department of Climate Change, and adopted by the Government, was carried out by the University of NSW and uses research from the United Nations' peak scientific body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

It examines the effect of climate change on the greater Sydney metropolitan region from the Central Coast to Wollongong, along with other regions in rural NSW. The full state study is expected to be released in January.

"We've used world's best science to understand what will happen in different parts of this state so we can start planning now for the future," Mr Rees said. "We will all have to change the way we live to some degree."

The study finds that bushfires are likely to be more intense while rainfall may become more erratic, creating water shortages. But while winter rains decline, intense summer rain in parts of Sydney could increase flash flooding.

This, combined with higher temperatures, is expected to put the state's emergency services and health services under stress.

The study has enormous implications for urban planning, building standards and flood-risk mapping as well as agriculture. It finds by 2050 the expected sea level rise is likely to be 40 centimetres, reaching 90 centimetres by 2100. While the figure sounds deceptively small, a one-centimetre sea-level rise can cause erosion effects of up to one metre.

The projections would mean changes to the Sydney coastline, including the harbour, Parramatta River and the Georges River, said Professor Andy Short of the University of Sydney's coastal studies unit.

"Beaches with a low gradient like Narrabeen, Dee Why and Curl Curl are going to be the most heavily affected," he said.

This sea-level rise would also affect river estuaries and bays. As seawater invades estuaries, fish populations are likely to decline and water birds disappear.

A senior scientist with the Department of Climate Change, Peter Smith, told the forum, "Where you've got a hard promenade at beaches like Manly, you can expect a reduction in beach shape and the actual width of the beach. In some cases, beaches will possibly disappear."

The temperature rises, coupled with more erratic rainfall, are expected to hit southern NSW hardest, said Gary Allan, the project leader for climate risk management in the NSW Department of Primary Industries in NSW.

"In the Riverina, we have to consider the possibility of fairly significant change to agricultural practices as we have known them," he said.

Mr Rees said he would strongly support the federal Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and bring forward spending on energy efficiency measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

He said a proposed $63 million energy efficiency program to help low-income households cut their emissions would start next month in Orange and Bathurst, and move to Sydney early next year.

The plan, which had been flagged by the previous climate minister, Verity Firth, will affect up to 200,000 people including pensioners, public-housing tenants and Aborigines.

Cycle protest shuts Swanston Street

Cyclists walk their bikes past the town hall in Swanston St.

Hundreds of cyclists silently walked their bicycles down Swanston Street this morning protesting for safer cycling conditions along the busy inner-city route.

- Ride to Work Day
- Hundreds join protest
- 'Safe cycling' demand

Traffic police instructed trams, vehicles and pedestrians to wait as a column of about 700 cyclists made its way from the state library to Federation Square.

The protest was organised by Jeremy Rawlins, whose wife Carolyn died in an accident while cycling down Swanston Street last month, and coincides with National Ride to Work Day.

Mrs Rawlins was hit by a tour bus on the corner of Bourke and Swanston streets after her bicycle slipped over on tram tracks as she cycled to work on September 18.

There were several tour buses parked on the corner where Ms Rawlins died this morning, even as the protesters, led by Mr Rawlins,made their way down Swanston Street.

Some of the protesters carried signs reading: "Make Swanston Street safe for cyclists".

Fellow organiser Michael Frazzetto said Melbourne City Council is responsible for building a safer bicycle lane.

"We are calling on the experts in Melbourne City Council to fix up the street. The council has a duty to provide safer conditions," Mr Frazzetto says.

Meanwhile, hundreds more cyclists were taking part in official Ride to Work Day activities at Federation Square.

The day is jointly sponsored by the government, health groups and cycling advocacy groups and aims to encourage non-cyclists to try cycling into work by offering free breakfast and peer support. Over 1000 people arrived at Federation Square this morning where they were offered advice on helmet hair, free reflective ankle straps, free massages and breakfast.

Most people at the breakfast said they cycle to work and into town regularly.

Stuart Schnaars of Diamond Creek, who cycles for an hour into work three to four times a week, says organisation is the key to commuting by cycle.

"People probably just cannot be bothered," he said.

"You have have a change of clothes and all your showing gear at work because it is too far to ride carrying all the extra luggage".

Andrew Libby from Rosanna says he started cycling into work regularly four or five years ago because he was sick of sitting in traffic each morning.

"The traffic is so bad, it is quicker for me to ride home than drive," Mr Libby says.

"If I drive home, leaving at 6pm, it is an hour and a half because the traffic is just so bad everywhere you go."

Michelle Milton from St Kilda says she finds the on-road routes too dangerous at peak hours, so takes a longer route to work.

"I go all the way through Albert Park to stay away from cars because even though there is a bike lane for cyclists, cars just do not give you the privilege to ride down the roads," Ms Milton said.

There was a lot of lycra, fluorescent clothing and helmets walking around Federation Square this morning, but Ms Milton says the cycling `uniform' is all about safety.

"There is a lot of fluoro, but you want to be seen on the roads."

Victoria Police were also on hand to engrave bicycles with identification numbers so they can be returned to owners if they are lost or stolen.

A spokesman for Victoria Police said the engraving service is available throughout the year from all police stations.

There were some non-cyclists who had been encouraged to cycle into work for the first time by friends and work colleagues.

Hung Chau, from Oakleigh, says he cycled in with colleagues.

"It is my first time today, although I cycle into the city on weekends," Mr Chau says.

"I might cycle more regularly if I get fitter," he joked.

Martine Ward was also encouraged by friends to cycle into work from her home in Fitzroy for the first time today .

Ms Ward says she was primarily motivated by environmental issues and borrowed a bicycle from a work colleague for today's ride.

"I would cycle in again if I had my own bike," she said.

"It was an easy ride, about 25 minutes, but I was a bit wobbly at first" she giggled.

Scientists push PM for 25pc emissions cut

A group of top level climate change experts has written a letter to the Prime Minister arguing that cutting greenhouse gas emissions by only 10 per cent would be dangerous.

The Federal Government's climate change adviser, Professor Ross Garnaut, will release his final report on climate change tomorrow.

Professor Garnaut recently flagged a target of 10 per cent reductions by 2020, drawing criticism from the scientific community for not being high enough.

But he also said a 25 per cent cut would be more effective.

Professor Matthew England from the University of New South Wales says he and 15 of his peers are urging Kevin Rudd to decide on a 25 per cent cut in emissions.

"This is unprecedented for a group of scientists to write a letter to the Prime Minister of a nation advocating a certain emissions trajectory," he said.

"It's just a message of 'take the deepest cuts possible' because the science tells us that anything less than than will commit us to dangerous climate change.

"A couple of weeks ago we had the release of an interim report from the Garnaut team and that stated, it came away from the 450 target and it went right up to 550 which is really a dangerous level of carbon dioxide to be speaking about."

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Garnaut too soft on emissions target: expert

Target too weak: Ross Garnaut is being accused of being too soft on emissions

A leading Australian climate scientist has criticised the greenhouse gas reduction targets proposed by the Government's climate change adviser Professor Ross Garnaut.

Professor David Karoly says Professor Garnaut's proposed emissions cut of 10 per cent by 2020 is not enough to minimise the dangerous effects of climate change.

He says Australia needs to set a target of at least 20 per cent by 2020.

Professor Karoly is an author with the United Nations climate change panel.

He said that the Government would damage the chances of a global agreement on emissions cuts if it adopted Professor Garnaut's target.

"It would probably send a message that Australia does not want to seriously consider or address the fact that it has the highest greenhouse gas emissions in the world, and will probably send a message that Australia is not serious on addressing greenhouse climate change," he said.

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Mayo vote environmental message - Greens

The Greens candidate for Mayo, Lynton Vonow, says the weekend poll in the Adelaide Hills-based electorate has sent a strong message to the major political parties.

Mr Vonow trails Liberal candidate Jamie Briggs by 3,265 votes on a two-party preferred basis.

There has been a 10.5 per cent swing away from the Liberals and Labor did not contest the poll, needed because of the retirement from politics of former foreign minister Alexander Downer.

Mr Vonow says the Liberals and Labor should treat the vote as a wake-up call.

"Not to take seats for granted and not to see this as business as usual," he said.

"The people of Mayo are recognising that the Greens are here.

"They're liking what they're seeing. They're liking that we're sticking up for the environment and they're recognising that the environment is of major concern and a priority."

The Liberals have claimed victory in the by-election but the Greens are not conceding until all votes have been counted.

Mr Briggs says water concerns will be a priority for him.

"There are big issues, nothing bigger than the river [Murray] and the lower lakes so I know the depth of feeling in the electorate about the river and I'm very keen to get into Federal Parliament and do the best I can to represent that issue," he said.

Green groups slam failure to set firm targets

THE Federal Government has refused to commit itself to any of the pollution reduction models outlined by its handpicked climate change expert, Ross Garnaut, saying it will make its own decisions by the end of the year.

However, the Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong, hinted that the Government was leaning towards one option canvassed by Professor Garnaut which provided the least political pain.

The option, which would result in a 5 per cent reduction of emissions by 2020, outraged environmental groups.

The Greens warned of trouble before the Senate for the Government's emissions trading scheme should the 2020 target not be more ambitious.

In a report released yesterday, Professor Garnaut said the most practical scenario was for Australia to reduce its emissions by 10 per cent by 2020, leading to an 80 per cent reduction by 2050.

However, this would require a global agreement at the international climate change conference in Copenhagen next year and Professor Garnaut was not confident this would occur.

In the event of failure in Copenhagen, he said, Australia "should still play a substantial role" in "keeping the chance of a global agreement alive" and commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent by 2020.

This would equate to a 60 per cent reduction by 2050, he said.

The Government will set its own 2020 target by the end of the year but has already promised a 60 per cent reduction by 2050 and Senator Wong said yesterday that would not change.

"We've been very clear that our commitment is to a 60 per cent reduction by 2050 and I think what Professor Garnaut's report today confirms is that is a significant target," she said.

Environmental groups were quick to slam both the 10 per cent and 5 per cent models as grossly inadequate.

"The best way for Australia to encourage other countries to reduce their carbon pollution is for us to lead by example and set strong targets to reduce our own," said Don Henry of the Australian Conservation Foundation. He said cutting emissions by 30 per cent by 2020 was affordable and would cost families less than $1 a day.

The Greens want a 40 per cent reduction by 2020 and said the 5 per cent and 10 per cent reduction models were "laughable".

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The Government's climate change adviser, Ross Garnaut, has suggested the concept known as biosequestration be boosted in Australia.

Professor Garnaut will release the next stage of his economic modelling into climate change tomorrow.

Senator Brown says ending the destruction of Australia's native forests and woodlands could reduce greenhouse output by 24 per cent.

"It is hugely prospective. Probably much more cost efficient and also has potential excellent job and economic spin-offs in Australia," he said.

"Our job is to get some of the old thinking in the old parties seeing the advantage that there is."

Arctic melt heralds more cyclones and floods: expert

There are more signs of rapid climate change in the Arctic.

Researchers say five ice shelves along Ellesmere Island in Canada's far-north have shrunk by 23 per cent this summer alone.

The shelves once covered an area of more than 5,000 square kilometres but now they are barely 10 per cent of that.

Warwick Vincent of the centre for northern studies at Quebec's Laval University describes the impact of the melting this year as staggering.

He says climate models suggest the most severe changes will take place in the highest northern latitudes, as a starting point for more substantial changes throughout the rest of the planet.

That means more hurricanes, cyclones and floods.

Sea levels could rise 4m this century

An expert in climate change says the world's sea levels could rise by up to four metres this century.

The head of the climate change unit at the Australian National University and science adviser to the Federal Government , Professor Will Steffen, says he believes the scientific community is underestimating the speed at which the climate is changing.

Professor Steffen has raised the concerns at the Coast to Coast Collaboration Conference in Darwin.

He says polar ice sheets across the northern shelf are melting quickly and last year was a record year in the loss of ice.

"The evidence over the past 12 to 18 months suggests that we have underestimated how fast this aspect of the earth's system can change," he said.

"We see things happening much faster than we thought."

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China coal rights above climate change fears

The giant state-owned China Shenhua Energy group has won the right to explore for coal in a northern New South Wales section of the Murray-Darling river system.

The $600 million tender, which will cover 190 square kilometres of the Gunnedah Basin, has fuelled concerns about the effects of mining on rich farmland and groundwater reserves [and climate change fears.]

The area, south-east of Gunnedah, is next to BHP Billiton's Caroona coal exploration site - the focus of a battle with farmers over the effects of a potential mine.

NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald says he is not concerned that the company is owned by the Chinese Government.

"I'm not worried about state-owned companies like some people are," he said.

"Many of the major corporations in South Korea that already have investments in Australia are state-owned.

"Over many years, we've had many countries invest in Australia that are essentially state-owned."

Mr Macdonald says money was a key factor in the Government's decision.

"But also, there's a number of other factors relating to the mining - the strength of the company, which is the world's largest and clearly, a very solid foundation."

Both the state and federal governments have rejected a call from local communities for an independent study on the effects of mining on groundwater reserves.

The federal MP for New England, independent Tony Windsor, says the Gunnedah basin decision is a sign of hypocrisy the over future of the Murray-Darling river system[ and climate change fears.]

"We have the Federal Government in South Australia saying, 'Oh, we made short-term decisions without long-term knowledge in terms of water resources and now we're going to have to rectify that,'" he said.

"I think the real motivation here is both the state and the Commonwealth have refused to be part of an independent study because they're more interested in the short-term cash."

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Calls for immediate moratorium on old growth logging

The Wilderness Society has called for an immediate end to old-growth logging after a new report identified forests that can absorb three times more carbon than international studies had previously suggested.

Scientists from the Australian National University examined 240 sites of intact natural forests in south-east Australia and found they can store up to 640 tonnes per hectare.

The largest stocks were in the central highlands of Tasmania and Victoria.

Virginia Young from the Wilderness Society says the research findings should prompt governments to protect native forests.

"If you were being sensible you would put an immediate moratorium on all old-growth logging all around the country because it's clear the carbon stocks are so much higher than anyone has previously analysed before," she said.

"The last thing you would do would be to log old-growth forests in Tasmania or Victoria."

Greens to work 'constructively' on emissions scheme

Greens leader Bob Brown says his party will not put any pre-conditions on negotiations with the Federal Government on its emissions trading scheme.

Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson has repeated today that the Coalition will not back the Government's preferred start-up date for the scheme of 2010.

Senator Brown says Dr Nelson is ignoring the fact that the scheme will be more expensive the longer it is delayed.

The Greens leader says while the Greens have firm policies on what targets should be set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they will work constructively with the Government in the Senate.

"The Greens have made it clear what we think the target should be, and of all the parties we're being constructive in saying what the answers should be," he said.

"But we will be negotiating with the Government and trying to get better outcomes.

"You don't get better outcomes by simply putting it off for a few more years."

World dependent on fossil fuels for 20 years: CSIRO

A CSIRO researcher says the world will be dependent on fossil fuels for energy generation for at least the next 20 years.

Peter McCabe has spent more than 30 years researching the world's use of fossil fuels and will be a keynote speaker at a geoscience conference in Perth today.

Dr McCabe says concerns about climate change should be addressed in the short term by energy conservation and by storing the carbon dioxide that results from burning fossil fuels underground.

He says oil, gas and coal are used to generate up to 86 per cent of the world's energy, while wind, solar and geo-thermal sources account for less than 1 per cent.

"So even if they increase 10-fold or 20-fold that will not actually meet the increased demand for energy in the world," he said.

Dr McCabe says it is unlikely that alternative energy sources can be developed in the next 20 years to meet growing global demand.

He says in the meantime, the world needs to look at cleaner ways of using fossil fuels.

"Clearly there are lots of things that we can do in terms of fuel efficiency and conservation but the other thing that we should do is think about carbon capture and storage," he said.