pm spooked by carbon scheme support

PM 'spooked' by carbon scheme support
February 12, 2007 - 4:59PM

Prime Minister John Howard has been spooked by Australians' positive response to a proposed carbon emission trading scheme, says NT Chief Minister Clare Martin.

State and territory leaders unanimously agreed last week to set up an emissions trading scheme that would lead to a 60 per cent reduction in national greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Under the regime, electricity generators have to hold permits to emit greenhouse gases.

But they can also buy extra permits and offset emissions through forestry and the capture and storage of carbon.

Ms Martin said the federal government had been given six months to get on board, or the states would move on without it.

"The ideal situation is to get the states and the commonwealth working together but we've seen John Howard's attitude over a number of years," she told ABC Radio in Darwin.

"He's been very sceptical. He's been very dismissive of carbon emission trading schemes."

But the prime minister could not afford to fight public sentiment, particularly in an election year, she said.

"He's been spooked by the fact that it has such support nationally, that we have to do something about the impact of emissions on our climate and there's an election coming up," she said.

"It is important to have the scheme ... But what is also important is that the commonwealth has to be involved."

Ms Martin defended the Northern Territory's track record as the highest carbon emitter in Australia, saying 40 per cent of the territory's problem with carbon was savanna fires.

"The large burnings we get over the dry season is the most critical component of what we have to do," she said.

Ms Martin also played down concerns that the territory - where gas is a key economic driver - would only increase emissions during the resources boom.

"Some of these per capita figures are not really reflective of the situation," she said.

Last week, federal Greens Leader Bob Brown proposed that Australia should shut down its $25 billion a year coal industry within three years to help reduce global greenhouse emissions.

The states and territory's carbon scheme is expected to begin in 2010, unless the commonwealth agrees to a national or international carbon trading system after it receives a report on the issue at the end of May.

© 2007 AAP age.com.au