AUSTRALIA WANTS RENEWABLES: 15% BY 2020

Australia’s PM, once a climate change skeptic, GETS IT: If you’re going to institute change, there has got to be a national commitment. That his call for the government to get involved in efforts to develop more renewable energy is widely seen as a vote-getting ploy says everything about where the public stands on the issue.

On the downside, Howard seems to classify “clean” coal and nuclear as renewable energies. How’s that for misguided?

Howard Sets Australia a 15 Per Cent Clean Energy Target by 2020
Gemma Daley, September 24, 2007 (Bloomberg News)

WHO
Australian Prime Minister John Howard

A continent unto itself. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Howard, up for re-election, has called for Australia to set a goal of obtaining 15% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

WHEN
The elections will be in early December 2007.

WHERE
Howard is behind in polls which obviously show the Australian electorate to be somewhere near Greenpeace on issues affecting climate change.

WHY
- Howard wants 30,000 gigawatt-hours/year from solar wind and clean coal.
- This is part of a set of climate change policies Howard is using to break down the opposition party’s 10-point poll lead. Other steps include an expansion of nuclear, a cap-and-trade system, the banning of incandescent light bulbs and reduction of deforestation.
- Kevin Rudd, Howard’s Labor Party opponent for the PM post, has pledged to sign on to the Kyoto Protocols, a move Howard won’t make.

Up to now, New Energy has not played a big role in a nation rich with resources. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
Howard: ``This is part of the government's comprehensive climate change strategy…It will drive additional investment in renewable energy and other low emissions electricity generation.''