Finally Howard wakes up...

The Prime Minister John Howard has at last recognised that Australia must put a price on carbon and develop an emissions trading scheme to combat climate change but he must set a serious national greenhouse reduction target to deliver deep emission cuts.

Prime Minister Howard needs to remember that the whole reason for a price on carbon and emissions trading is to make real reductions in greenhouse gases. That is why he must set a national cap that will put Australia on a path to achieving an 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050. Anything less will be fiddling at the edges.

Last year the Prime Minister ridiculed the Greens, environmentalists and business leaders when we all called for a cap on emissions, a price on carbon and an emissions trading scheme, arguing that it would destroy the economy.

He was wrong and he has been forced to back down and recognise that carbon trading and carbon pricing will be integral to any long-term solution to climate change. Not only that, they will boost Australian manufacturing which is being driven offshore by the Howard government.

There is enormous jobs and wealth potential in growing the renewable energy sector in Australia. The Stern Review of the economic costs of climate change found that the current size of the market for renewable energy generation products alone is estimated at $US38 billion, providing employment for around 1.7 million people.

The global wind industry now employs well over 100,000 people, the global large-turbine market is expected to surpass $US16 billion annually this year, while the photovoltaic industry supports more than 25,000 jobs worldwide and analysts expect sales to reach $US30 billion by 2010.

And the Hunter could benefit if we had a strong advocate for real, sustainable jobs in the Hunter.