John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

that it was achieved last week—for the first time it united the United States, China and Russia, the three greatest emitters in the world, in a commitment to an aspirational target for a reduction in greenhouse gases. It does represent a new international consensus on climate change. If the world can agree on a common emissions goal, with all countries contributing, reflecting their own capacities, then indeed there is some hope for a balanced approach.

I remind the Leader of the Opposition, with his references to 11½ years, of the $2 billion to $3 billion that the government has committed to various measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I remind him that the emissions trading system to which the government is committed is a world’s best in terms of an emissions trading system. It has more comprehensive coverage. It covers some 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions—

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