Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Ludwig. I refer the minister to a joint press release issued by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mr Combet, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mr Dreyfus, last week asserting that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an emissions trading scheme operating in 10 states in the north-east of the United States, was a great success because it led to a 23 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the last three years. Can the minister confirm that the carbon price under that scheme in 10 US states has been below $2 a tonne since the scheme started in 2009, and that this US regional scheme specifically excludes manufacturers and other industrial plants from its application?

Further, is the minister aware that slowing economic growth and general weakening of the economy in the US has led to lower emissions without a massive price on carbon, as it did in Europe when industry shut down across Eastern Europe in the wake of the collapse of socialism?