Angus Taylor says while carryover credits are ‘relatively small’ part of carbon budget, any decision to ditch them would be catastrophic
Angus Taylor has insisted it would be “apocalyptic” for the economy if Labor did not use Kyoto carryover credits towards its emissions reduction targets, while still maintaining they were “relatively small in terms of the overall carbon budget”.
Following on from his Sunday interview in which he falsely claimed emissions had gone down, though the government’s own data showed a 0.9% increase, the energy minister accused critics of “cherry picking” time periods to prove their points, when his own assertions relied on just the last quarter, instead of the whole year.
And in a rare interview Melissa Price agreed with Taylor’s false assertions, telling reporters: “If you have a look on the data over the last quarter, they have gone down.”
Reminded that over the last year they had gone up, the environment minister said that wasn’t where her attention was directed. “I am focused on the good news,” she said.
Labor is yet to say whether the Kyoto carryover credits of a 367-megatonne abatement would be used in its 45% reduction target. The government has included them in its own smaller target of 26%.
Countries which exceeded their Kyoto target are allowed to use that excess towards the later Paris commitment, meaning that past carbon reductions can be counted towards future targets.
Speaking to Sky News, the “minister for lowering electricity prices” said it would be irresponsible for Labor not to use the carryover credits.
