Minerals Council of Australia
Energy and Climate Change
The minerals industry acknowledges that sustained global action is required to reduce the risks of human-induced climate change. The Australian minerals sector supports a measured transition to a low emissions global economy. This includes participation in global agreements such as the Paris Agreement, which would hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
This transition will require a policy framework encompassing:
Australia’s participation in global agreements such as the Paris Agreement with greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments from major emitting nations.
- A combination of short, medium and long-term market-based policy measures that:
- Provide for least cost abatement of greenhouse gas emissions
- Maintain the international competitiveness of Australian industry
- Minimise adverse social and economic impacts on households
- Provide industry with policy certainty to make long term investments.
- Substantial investment in a broad range of low emissions technologies and adaptation measures.
Reliable and affordable energy is central to our economy. Policy measures must deliver reliable and affordable energy at least cost while putting Australia on a pathway to meeting its emissions reduction targets.
- A national coordinated approach to climate and energy policy is needed which recognises the energy and resource intensive nature of the Australian economy.
- All sectors of the economy have a role to play in meeting the challenge of Australia’s emissions reductions targets. A least cost approach to abatement should include access to international offsets.
- The National Electricity Market in Australia is facing serious challenges including the erosion of baseload generation capacity which is already adversely impacting Australia’s industrial sector and households.
- The MCA believes a technology-neutral approach should be adopted for all low emissions energy sources where no one technology is favoured to the exclusion of others.
- Any policy approach should aim to reduce energy costs in Australia and retain a focus on securing reliable lowest cost dispatchable energy supply that is available 24/7, while meeting emissions reduction targets.
The Australian minerals sector will continue to play a constructive and positive role in the public policy debate.
- Australia needs to restore its international comparative advantage of reliable, low-cost energy while meeting its emissions reduction targets.
- Our sector makes a significant socio-economic contribution to Australia. As a large producer and consumer of energy, the sector recognises it has an important role in addressing energy and climate change issues while delivering returns to our stakeholders, including employees, communities and shareholders.
- The global transition to low emissions technologies – including solar, wind, batteries, gas, advanced coal and nuclear energy – depends on the metals and raw materials provided by the minerals sector.
Source: https://minerals.org.au/energy-and-climate-change
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