The international debate on climate change is heavily influenced by notions of fairness and justice. One of the most important principles referred to internationally is that of polluter pays. The most common interpretation of polluter pays is that national targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions should be based on the level of emissions

Reports calculations showing per capita greenhouse gas emission on a comprehensive basis for all industrialised countries which show that Australians have the highest emissions per person of all industrial countries.

The world’s scientists have warned that the nations of the world will need to shift to a low-carbon future in order to avoid dangerous changes to the global climate. Even the Federal Environment Minister admits that Australia will need to cut greenhouse gas emission by 60 per cent or more. This report is ground breaking

The structure of the tax system can play an important role in either protecting or causing harm to the natural environment. This report examines existing taxes, charges and related incentives that encourage either environmental protection or degradation in each of the areas of transport, stationary energy, land, water, forests and waste. The study also considers

The industry in Australia and throughout the world is dominated by a handful of multinationals that have obtained highly favourable arrangements from governments. This paper analyses the structure, ownership, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions of the aluminium smelting industry to examine the likelihood of its relocating offshore and test the consequences, both economic and

Clive Hamilton and Hal Turton respond critically to some of the recent claims made in bestselling book ‘The Skeptical Environmentalist’ by Bjorn Lomborg, a Danish statistician who claims to be an environmentalist. They argue that Lomborg’s analysis is both too amateur and too simplistic to be taken seriously.

Climate change is expected to have severe adverse impacts on the majority of Commonwealth countries, especially developing country members. Australia has displayed a callous disregard for the future well-being of the poorest and most vulnerable members of the Commonwealth.

Analysis of IPCC data from 1998 evidencing Australia remains the highest per capita emitter of greenhouse gases of Kyoto countries, due principally to a large agricultural sector and continued land-use change as a source of emissions.

This paper is the first comprehensive investigation of the relationship between population growth and greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. There are four parts to the analysis each of which reaches some striking conclusions.

A submission to the Senate Environment References Committee Inquiry into Australia’s Response to Global Warming

A submission to Senate Environment References Committee Inquiry into Australia’s Response to Global Warming

The purpose of this paper is to explore a number of feasible reforms to business taxation that go further than the Ralph review. It argues for the early introduction of a domestic emissions trading system as part of the tax restructuring program, in order to address our greenhouse commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. It recommends

The ANTS will result in an increase of greenhouse gas emissions. The reduction in fuel prices and the relaxed standards on public transport will result in pollution that cannot be offset by the carbon sink and GST exemption policies they are implementing. The revised ANTS program will not get Australian to meet its obligations to

This report evaluates the impact of the privatisation of ACTEW on the financial position of the ACT public sector. In so doing, it examines the structure of ACTEW and the impact of the competitive electricity market on ACTEW’s profitability. It also assesses the options for dealing with the government’s unfunded superannuation liability. It concludes that

This report evaluates the likely effects on atmospheric emissions of the proposed changes in indirect taxes put forward in the Coalition’s GST Tax Package. While there is no mention of the environment in the Tax Package, changes in prices of energy intensive activities induced by the Tax Package may affect energy consumption and thus atmospheric