Kevin and Barack had their first conversation yesterday. As well as discussing the G.F.C. they also discussed closer cooperation on the climate crisis and agreed both countries should work closely together in preparation for the next United Nations meeting on the post-Kyoto framework in Copenhagen later this year.
There was no mention of them discussing how solutions to the climate crisis are a potentially huge part of the solution to the financial crisis. Obama has already developed policy in this area. Rudd has not. It’s not the only difference between the two leaders but it may prove to be a crucial one.
The climate crisis is going to get a lot worse before it gets better – if it ever will get better. The political momentum for a change in our energy system will continue to grow, and this shift will be the basis of the next industrial revolution. As usual, California is ahead of the curve. And now Obama is starting to position the US economy with the $50billion in funding for green energy announced as part of the economic bailout package. It’s a late and slow start, but it’s heading in the right direction. Combined with State efforts and private sector leadership (like Google’s project to make renewable energy cheaper than coal), it’ll probably ensure that countries like Australia end up buying most of our future energy infrastructure from the US. If not Germany or Japan.
Next week we’re expecting another economic stimulus package to be announced. The last one was basically just a Christmas spending spree, much of which was spent on pokies but some of which no doubt bought some more presents for under the tree. But ’spend till we mend’ without any other public policy purpose is a remarkably foolish manner in which to blow the budget.
So where is the Green jobs plan for Australia? Where is the stimulus package that will drive investment in renewable energy, create a domestic manufacturing base, jobs and cut emissions?
Greenpeace did a report last year looking at creating a transition in the Hunter Valley from coal power to renewable energy. It was the first study of it’s kind in Australia and aimed to provide a case study for a ‘just transition’ to a low carbon economy. The study, conducted by the Centre for Full Employment and Equity and Newcastle University, showed that a transition to renewable energy in the hunter/wyong region of NSW would result in between 4,000 and 10,000 nett new jobs.
Germany now employs over 250,000 people in the renewable energy industry. This didn’t happen by osmosis or good luck. It happened because they created the right policy framework to drive investment – a gross feed-in-tarrif that ensures a higher rate is paid for energy from renewable sources. The Rudd Government is, of course, in the process of undermining the possibility of a good national feed-in-tarrif for Australia by burying the proposal in an interminable COAG process.
Leadership to solve the climate and economic crises would involve creating a policy framework to drive renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements, with a focus on job creation including the building of a long term manufacturing base for renewable energy in Australia. Otherwise, I’m sure Obama would be happy for us to continue dithering so that they can include Australia on the list of future export markets for renewable energy technology.
But surely we’re smarter than that.
