Greenpeace: PNG can benefit from Aussie carbon plan

PAPUA New Guinea is among Pacific countries which have a potentially lucrative role to play in the carbon pricing plan announced by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Sunday, environmental activist organisation Greenpeace said yesterday.
But the organisation said PNG and its Pacific neighbours would need to get their accountability structures right before participating in the scheme, Greenpeace forest campaigner Paul Winn told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat programme.
Up to half the carbon credits needed by big Australian companies to meet Gillard’s Clean Energy Plan could come from overseas, the programme was told.
Winn said PNG, in particular, with its big logging industry, had much to gain but that there was a long way to go before it would be able to take part in carbon trading because of problems with corruption.
He said all carbon credits from avoided deforestation would need to be rigorously measured and verified.
Winn said PNG and other Pacific countries would need substantial assistance from Australia to build a credible carbon trading system.
“We have to keep in mind that PNG is a long way from being able to undertake the measuring, reporting and verification standards that would be required for Kyoto (Protocol) compliance.
“Also, there hasn’t been an agreement yet that would allow for those credits to enter into the compliance market.”
The Gillard Government said on Sunday it would impose a tax on carbon emission for Australia’s worst polluters at A$23 a tonne from next year.