ECONOMIC AND POLICY ISSUES FLOWING FROM NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE

摘要

GOVERNMENT POLICY responses to climate change are much more likely to have major implications for Australia's agriculture sector over the next twenty years than climate change itself. There is a very real danger that agriculture in Australia will be the 'sacrificial lamb' used to achieve emission targets. The agriculture sector will need to become very heavily engaged in debates about climate change policy, and will need considerable resources devoted to researching relevant issues to ensure it is not unfairly disadvantaged in the longer term by policy responses. Issues of particular significance will include greenhouse emission accounting rules, mechanisms to avoid international emission leakage, and ensuring the rules of the national emissions trading scheme do not unnecessarily disadvantage farm businesses.