The Government today released the Prime Minister's Task Group on Energy Efficiency report.
The Report was commissioned by the Government to provide advice on the development of policy that will strengthen Australia's response to climate change and reduce pressure on the energy costs of all Australians.
The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, welcomed the report, which reinforces the Government's wider climate change strategy and the need for a price on carbon.
The report notes that "by far the most important element in a vision of a step change in Australia's energy efficiency improvement is the presence of an explicit price on carbon"
The Gillard Government is committed to investing in clean energy, promoting greater energy efficiency and working towards the introduction of a carbon price.
The Government's Multi-Party Climate Change Committee is currently exploring options for the introduction of a price on carbon.
Well-targeted improvements in our energy efficiency will improve the productivity of the economy as well as helping us to shift towards a low pollution future.
In addition to the introduction of a carbon price. the key foundation measures recommended for the Government to make a step-change improvement in Australia's energy efficiency performance are:
* Setting a national energy efficiency target of improving our primary energy intensity by 30 per cent by 2020;
* Establishing an energy savings initiative;
* Resetting the Government's framework for energy efficiency;
* Providing a stronger enabling environment for energy efficiency; and
* Building an energy efficiency culture in Australia.
This Report is a significant contribution to the energy efficiency debate as well as an important piece of work as part of the Government's Energy White Paper process.
The Government is already acting in the area of energy efficiency. The Government has already committed to a number of initiatives recommended in the Report. They are:
* Implementing emissions standard for new power stations and extending the Energy Efficiency Opportunities program to electricity generators;
* New mandatory CO2 emissions standards for light vehicles; and
* Tax breaks for Green Buildings
The findings of the Report will also complement other improvements in energy efficiency that the Government is making through the National
Energy Efficiency Strategy and other energy efficiency programs.
The Report will help inform the further development and consolidation of the Government's climate change policy.
The Government's consideration of the recommendations will take account of the programs in the area of clean energy and our work towards the introduction of a carbon price.
The recommendations of this report will also be considered as part of the Government's Energy White Paper process.
The report is available at:http://www.climatechange.gov.au/publications/energy-efficiency/report-p…