Australia has consistently overestimated its Greenhouse gas forecasts, making the process of reaching climate change targets a remarkably simple piece of cake, according to a report revealed by the Guardian Australia.
In a report published by Reputex, its authors claim Australia has approached climate change policy, and their impending emissions reduction promise for 2020, in a similar vein to a used-car salesman: knowingly under promising, to give the illusion of over delivery. The report does not lay blame on a single government, claiming the overstating was a long-running, bipartisan issue.
“The overstatement of national emissions projections has occurred under successive Coalition and Labor governments, which see little political value in updating “business-as-usual” assumptions, instead preferring to keep baselines high and beat expectations.”
According to the report, significant overstating of Australia’s Greenhouse gas forecasts meant that government could, in theory, reach its 2020 goal of reducing emissions by 5% with much less effort than typically required.
It’s like going on a date, and elaborately insisting on picking up the cheque. No you insist, you might say – only failing to mention that your mate runs the restaurant, and your bill will be all but free. Brownie points for you, with most of your wallet still intact. A slimy win-win.
Reputex’s report claims that the findings will cause eyebrows to be well and truly raised by the international community over Australia’s climate change policy.
“The findings suggest that the international community may be right to question Australia’s emissions ambition should future write-downs be ‘pocketed’ as an accounting benefit, rather than be translated into greater post-2020 ambition.”
