Sustainability and Climate Change Update: The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

The status of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

After much speculation and political wrangling, the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS ) has been rejected by the Senate for a second time.

The latest set-back followed an extraordinary series of events, which culminated in the replacement of the former Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull, who had supported the revised CPRS, with a climate change sceptic and staunch opponent of the CPRS, Tony Abbott.

The new Opposition Leader has ruled out supporting any form of emissions trading scheme, unless it forms part of a global system, including involvement of the United States. He has emphasised the need to consider nuclear power as an alternative to an emissions trading scheme or carbon tax.