ADELAIDE, Australia, July 3, 2007 (ENS) - Australia's first climate change legislation became law today. It is not national legislation, it applies only to the state of South Australia, but in the country that has followed the United States in its reluctance to join international climate action, the new law is viewed as a big step.
The Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Act 2007 makes South Australia the first place in Australia to legislate targets to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. The law also requires a renewable energy standard.
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South Australia's Premier Mike Rann (Photo courtesy Office of the Premier) |
South Australia continues to lead the way for the rest of the nation when it comes to climate change - and we are on track to achieve the legislated target of 20 percent of our state’s power coming from renewable sources by 2014," said South Australia's Premier Mike Rann.
"The legislation commits the government to work with business and the community to develop and put in place strategies that will put our state in a position to take early action to reduce greenhouse emissions and adapt to climate change," the premier said.
But the state's only Green legislator, Mark Parnell, is not satisfied with the new targets.
