Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Watt, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the Morrison Government still refuses to formally rule out the use of so-called Kyoto carryover credits to meet its emission reduction obligations under the Paris Agreement,

  (ii) according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Senator Abetz said the carryover credits should not be 'given away' because they were a sign of what Australia had achieved,

  (iii) according to theGuardian, Senator Rennick told the Coalition party room meeting the Government should deploy carryovers to meet the target because Australia was entitled to use that accounting method,

  (iv) according to the Australian, Senator Canavan said 'I think it is crazy to give them up unless other countries have Kyoto debits', and

  (v) the use of so-called Kyoto carryover credits is not supported by the international community, international law experts, the scientific community or the Business Council of Australia as well as other business leaders; and

(b) calls on the Morrison Government to formally rule out the use of so-called Kyoto carryover credits to meet Paris Agreement emission reduction targets.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government's policy is that past overachievements should be recognised. It was the Labor Party that made carryover a condition of Australia signing up to the second period of the Kyoto protocol. It was under this coalition government that Australia beat its 2020 target by 459 million tonnes.

Question agreed to.