AUSTRALIAN GREENS SA CLIMATE CHANGE & ENERGY POLICY
A10 Climate Change and Energy
See also Transport and Nuclear
Principles
The Australian Greens (SA) assert:
10.1 South Australia should actively support national and international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
10.2 Early action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will be most effective and cheapest.
10.3 Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions needs to be done in an equitable, environmentally and economically responsible manner.
10.4 Adaptation to climate change needs to be done in an equitable, environmentally and economically responsible manner.
10.5 Safe, secure, affordable energy services based on ecologically sustainable renewable energy (green energy) are essential.
10.6 Energy prices should reflect the total social and environmental costs.
Goals
The SA Greens want:
10.7 Reductions in South Australia’s total and average per capita greenhouse gas emissions.
10.8 Adaptation to climate change.
10.9 To ensure that green energy, efficiency and energy conservation become the most cost effective energy options.
10.10 All energy infrastructure developments subjected to open, timely and effective public consultation.
10.11 To limit the social impact of the transition to green energy.
Measures
The SA Greens will:
10.12 Support the Kyoto Protocol and the development of meaningful binding greenhouse gas emission targets
10.13 Introduce legislation to implement the Climate Change Convention and Kyoto Protocol, including a requirement for greenhouse gas pollution assessment of all proposals and policies with projected greenhouse gas emissions greater than 250,000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent per annum (250 kt CO2e/yr).
10.14 Establish mandatory targets of 30% reduction in 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and 60% reduction by 2030.
10.15 Implement a program of education and consultation on global warming and energy, involving schools and community centres.
10.16 Work with other state and national governments and bodies towards establishing a national carbon levy and rebate scheme.
10.17 Establish a Carbon Authority to administer the carbon levy and rebate scheme.
10.18 Establish a Department of Ecological Sustainability with responsibilities that include planning, implementation and monitoring of South Australia’s responses and adaptation to the effects of climate change.
10.19 Restore public ownership and control of South Australia's energy infrastructure.
10.20 Protect low-income consumers from disconnection and provide financial and other advice.
10.21 Make energy efficiency and conservation key determinants of urban planning and government policy.
10.22 Transfer all subsidies and government support from the fossil and nuclear fuel sectors to energy efficiency, demand management, and green energy.
10.23 Impose a carbon levy on fossil fuels.
10.24 Remove energy subsidies that support volume discount and diesel fuel.
10.25 Establish the 'Green Energy Trust of South Australia' (see below).
10.26 Introduce a Mandatory Green Energy Target (MGET) of an annual 3 percentage points increase in green energy.
10.27 Facilitate the ecologically sustainable use of biofuels in rural areas where they are grown and produced.
10.28 Support wind farms for the generation of electricity.
10.29 Establish a "Solar on Every Roof" program to promote and facilitate the use of solar hot water and solar electricity on buildings.
10.30 Introduce a Mandatory Energy Conservation Target (MECT) of 2% annual reduction of energy use.
10.31 Assist communities affected by the loss of energy intensive and fossil fuel-based industries to create new ecologically sustainable employment opportunities.
10.32 Introduce more stringent mandatory energy performance standards for all new and existing residential and commercial buildings.
10.33 Introduce more stringent mandatory energy performance standards for all SA Government purchasing decisions, government buildings and vehicle fleets.
10.34 Require all SA Government entities to purchase 100% accredited Green Power.
10.35 Introduce 'smart' meters and feed-in tariffs.
The Green Energy Trust of SA
The Green Energy Trust of SA will:
10.36 Guarantee the right to energy services at fair and reasonable prices, and offer a domestic tariff that guarantees the supply of sufficient energy to maintain an acceptable standard of living at a reasonable cost.
10.37 Cap wholesale electricity prices at $200 a megawatt hour (MWh).
10.38 Regulate the development of new energy infrastructure in accordance with triple bottom line least-cost principles.
10.39 Consult with the Indigenous Peoples before commencing work on energy infrastructure including both above and below ground installations.
10.40 Adopt a user-pays principle to the costs of upgrading and extending (augmenting) the energy distribution network.
10.41 Ensure that augmenting the energy distribution network does not discriminate against green energy or demand management.
10.42 Construct new interconnectors only if they can be demonstrated to be ecologically, socially and economically beneficial.
10.43 Increase the rate of undergrounding of power lines.
10.44 Provide incentives for the development of green energy technologies, industries and services.
10.45 Provide financial incentives for research and development of green energy technologies.
10.46 Assist South Australian green energy industries to develop export markets.
10.47 Provide infrastructure support to enable consumers to use green energy technologies.
10.48 Facilitate grid access to small-scale, distributed green energy.
10.49 Ensure that small generators of distributed electricity receive a fair price for electricity that is exported to the electricity grid.
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