Review finds legal costs too high in environment challenges

The Age

A review of the current laws surrounding environmental legal challenges of government has found that the concept of “undertakings as to damages”, which stipulates that those seeking an injunction must first prove they can cover the costs of the delays their action may cause, should be changed.

Allan Hawke, who conducted the review of the current laws for Environment Minister Peter Garrett, says that the threat of paying costs is ”one of the most significant barriers to public-interest litigation”.

posted by ruby on December 30, 2009 at 3:16 pm · filed under

Federal government defends ETS scheme

The Age

The Federal Government is again defending its Emissions Trading Scheme, releasing figures to show that the scheme will not substantally drive up the price of living, and will in fact leave lower income houselholds better off due to the scheme’s compensation package. The Opposition has claimed that the scheme would result in an average rise of $1100 per year in household bills.

The Government figures claim that 2.9 million low-income houses would be better off under the compensation package in the ETS, while half of all middle income households would be worse off.

posted by ruby on December 30, 2009 at 3:10 pm · filed under

The Guardian’s Copenhagen overview

The Guardian

The Guardian newspaper has provided a comprehensive coverage of the Copenhagen COP15, including this brief overview of the key questions arising from the summit and the policy outcomes in the form of the Copenhagen Accord.

posted by ruby on December 30, 2009 at 3:02 pm · filed under

Israeli anti-nuclear spokesman arrested

ABC News

Israeli police have again arrested nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu for violating a ban which prohbits him discussing his former work at Israel’s Dimona nuclear reactor.  Vanunu has already served multiple jail terms as a traitor for discussing the nuclear reactor with foreign press. Vanunu says that he poses no security threat to the Israeli government, and that he want to pursue his anti-nuclear activities abroad.

posted by ruby on December 30, 2009 at 2:54 pm · filed under

Green businesses expected to suffer Copenhagen fallout

The Age

Australian market researchers claim the failure of the Copenhagen climate talks could undermine growth of green and ethical products and services, which have expanded dramatically in recent years to a value of around $19 billion.

posted by seamas on December 29, 2009 at 7:46 am · filed under

AGL slams government renewables framework

Sydney Morning Herald

A collapse in renewable energy certificate prices threatens to kill off Australian industry’s willingness to invest in the development of renewable power, according to the managing director of one of the largest players, AGL. Michael Fraser described the Government’s approach as “a fraud” undermining industry’s ability to meet targets linked to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

posted by seamas on December 28, 2009 at 8:37 am · filed under

Paper mill closure frees water for Tassie farmers

ABC News

Tasmanian irrigators will benefit from the closure of the PaperlinX mill in the state’s North-West. The transfer of water rights is expected to save farmers approximately 33% on water costs.

posted by seamas on December 26, 2009 at 7:50 am · filed under