Coalition in revolt over climate fix

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 14-Jun-17

Coalition MPs met on 13 June 2017 to discuss the Finkel energy review’s proposal to introduce a clean energy target, with sources indicating that most government ministers a and MPs stated their opposition to the CET model outlined by Chief Scientist Alan Finkel. There was widespread support in the partyroom for clean coal to be regarded as a low-emissions energy source, although this is likely to be opposed by the Australian Labor Party. Meanwhile, Labor has indicated that it will not support any move to allow the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to invest in carbon capture and storage technology.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST

Labor tries again on carbon plan

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 27-Apr-16

The Federal Opposition will release details of its climate change policy on 27 April 2016. It will seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030. The Australian Labor Party will introduce a new domestic emissions trading scheme in two stages, which will have the ultimate goal of reducing the nation’s carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Labor also intends to introduce a separate emissions trading scheme for the electric power industry from 2018.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CLIMATE INSTITUTE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. CLEAN ENERGY FINANCE CORPORATION, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Carbon capture key to coal future: IEA

Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 16 : 21-Dec-15

The International ­Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that India’s growing demand for coal will enable Australia to reclaim its status as the largest coal exporter. Meanwhile, IEA executive director Fatih Birol warns that a sustained upturn in coal prices will require coal producers to ramp up their investment in ­carbon capture and storage technology. He adds that carbon sequestration will be essential in meeting the Paris climate change summit’s targets for limiting growth in global warming.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ADANI ENTERPRISES LIMITED, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD

Glenn McGrath bowls into carbon farming

Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 13-Nov-15

The Clean Energy Regulator has granted $A557 million to 131 carbon reduction projects via the second auction from the Emissions Reduction Fund. Former cricketer Glenn McGrath is among the recipients of funding. He has agreed to grow trees on his rural property in north-west New South Wales to offset carbon emissions. Wesfarmers, Consolidated Pastoral Company, AGL Energy and Pacific National are among bigger recipients of funding for carbon reduction programs.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. CLEAN ENERGY REGULATOR, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, CONSOLIDATED PASTORAL COMPANY PTY LTD, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, PACIFIC NATIONAL PTY LTD, CLIMATE FRIENDLY PTY LTD, REPUTEX AUSTRALIA PACIFIC PTY LTD

Coalition warms to nuclear

Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Oct-15

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has responded to calls for a moratorium on coal exports and new coal mines by arguing that doing so would actually increase carbon emissions. He notes that Australian coal tends to be much cleaner than that of other countries. Meanwhile, the Federal Government’s submission to the Nuclear Royal Commission in South Australia presses the case for considering nuclear power as part of the nation’s future energy mix.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION INCORPORATED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Origin Energy to ditch coal assets as it cuts carbon burden

Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 21-Oct-15

Australian-listed Origin Energy has become the first energy group in the world to commit to all seven principles of the Carbon Disclosure Project. Origin will tell shareholders at its 2015 AGM that it will close down its Eraring coal-fired power station within two decades, with the aim of eventually generating all of its electricity via renewable sources. MD Grant King notes that energy companies account for 66 per cent of global carbon emissions.

CORPORATES
ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, CARBON DISCLOSURE PROJECT, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL

AGL, Origin face climate change scrutiny from shareholders

Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 30-Sep-15

The policies of AGL Energy and Origin Energy aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions are likely to be a key focus for shareholders at their 2015 AGMs. The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) will present resolutions to the AGMs of both groups regarding climate change measures. However, ACCR executive director Caroline LeCouteur has welcomed AGL’s revised position on climate change, which was announced in the lead-up to its AGM.

CORPORATES
AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, MACQUARIE GENERATION, LOY YANG A, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SUPERANNUATION INVESTORS INCORPORATED, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, GETUP LIMITED

Cheap permits an option for emitters

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1&8 : 12-Aug-15

The Australian Government has announced a plan to cut emissions by 26 per cent to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on 11 August 2015 that the Government did not abandon the idea of allowing Australian companies to trade in international permits. This option will be reconsidered in 2017-18 or later.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SNOWY HYDRO LIMITED, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, CLIMATE INSTITUTE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED