Tony Abbott has raised fears that Australia are planning to get rid of the Renewable Energy Target (RET).
It comes amidst controversial environmental decisions made in Australia, including the plans for dredging sites near the Great Barrier Reef.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne, on the other hand, is all for the scheme, with the Guardian reporting that he is giving the RET his "full support".
The RET currently states a requirement that 41,000 gigawatt hours of Australia’s energy comes from renewable sources such as solar and wind by 2020.
Whilst Mr Pyne supports the target, it seems the Environment minister, Greg Hunt, favours "scaling back" the numbers.
The Government is currently considering a review of the RET by businessman Dick Warburton, which recommended that the scheme either be shut to new entrants or closed until energy demand begins to expand.
Cedrec's take
Australia have to make some tough decisions when it comes to their environmental policies, because per capita, they are the worst CO2 emitters in the Western nations.
Compared to the US and the EU, their efforts are paling. Considering the threat of huge fines looming over the heads of EU countries who fail to reach a certain target by 2030, it is something of an annoyance when other countries are finding it difficult to implement similar changes. Tony Abbott and his Government are continuing to disregard and reverse environmental policies that have to be in place before Australia can consider itself changing their pollutant ways.
It is difficult, of course, but if the US, UK and the remainder of the EU can put the effort in, surely Tony Abbott should think at least more like Greg Hunt, if not Christopher Pyne?
