Twenty of Australia's environment groups have produced a climate change policy agenda. Here is a shortened version of the statement:

This briefing outlines a suite of policies developed by Australia's environment groups to avoid dangerous climate change. The key to achieving this will be for Australia to legislate a national greenhouse gas reduction target of at least 30% below 1990 levels by 2020, and to set a long term reduction target of at least 80% by 2050.

1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Legislate a national greenhouse gas reduction target of at least 30% below 1990 levels by 2020. Set a long term reduction target of at least 80% by 2050.

2. Show international leadership and join the Kyoto Protocol

Until Australia ratifies Kyoto, we cannot expect less-developed countries to join the global effort. The Kyoto Protocol is the primary international response to climate change and was designed to bring all countries on board with specific obligations to reduce greenhouse gases.

3. Make polluters pay

The Stern Review found the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions was in the order of AU$110 per tonne. Introducing a price on greenhouse pollution will drive investment and employment in low carbon industries. A price on greenhouse pollution could be implemented through a carbon tax and/or an emissions trading scheme. Either way, the price must be accompanied by a legislated cap on emissions of at least 30% by 2020.

4. Become energy smart

Stabilise total energy consumption by 2010 and achieve 1.5% annual reductions to 2020 through world's best energy efficiency standards for appliances, buildings, vehicles and industrial equipment.

5. Invest in a clean, renewable energy future
   
Legislate a renewable energy target of 25% by 2020. Currently only 8% of Australia's electricity is generated from renewable sources.

Failure to increase the national Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) will halt new investment in clean, renewable energy because in 2007 it will be fully subscribed.

There are a number of simple mechanisms available to achieve
a clean, renewable energy target of 25% by 2020: raise the current MRET program target; use market mechanisms such as a solar feed-in tariff; implement a million solar roofs program to kickstart national rollout.

6. Switch from dirty, greenhouse polluting technologies

No more coal fired power stations, move away from greenhouse polluting subsidies and technologies, ensure greater scrutiny and regulation of coal exports and commit to legislate a stringent greenhouse gas trigger in the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

7. Reject dangerous, costly nuclear power

Rule out dirty nuclear power, phase out uranium mining and exports, prohibit any expansion of the dangerous nuclear industry in Australia, shelve the proposed NT waste dump.

8. Tackle emissions from logging and landclearing

End broad-scale land clearing and rapidly transition from most native forest logging to combat greenhouse emissions.

9. Reduce greenhouse emissions in the transport sector and promote cleaner cars.

Remove subsidies that encourage private car use and significantly increase investment in public transport infrastructure.

10. Help native vegetation and wildlife survive and thrive

Rapidly develop and support national measures to create connected and protected ecosystem networks to maximise the survival of native wildlife and vegetation threatened by climate change.

The full statement is posted at: <www.foe.org.au/campaigns/climate-justice>.

The groups which produced the policy agenda are: Aidwatch, ACF, Australian Marine Conservation Society, Cairns and Far North Environment Centre, Climate Action Network Australia, Conservation Council of SA, Conservation Council of WA, Conservation Council of the South East Region and Canberra, Environment Centre of the NT, Environment Tasmania, Environs Kimberley, Mineral Policy Institute, Victorian National Parks Association, Greenpeace, FoE, National Toxics Network, Queensland Conservation Council, Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Wilderness Society, Total Environment Centre.