Coalition, Greens attack Durban climate pact

Coalition, Greens attack 

Durban climate pact

by James Massola

From: The Australian

TONY Abbott has seized on the delayed timeframes of the Durban climate change agreement as proof that Australia's carbon tax is an "international orphan".

Climate Change Minister Greg Combet hailed the agreement, reached after marathon negotiations in South Africa, as an “historic” outcome.

But debate continues over the legal enforceability of the agreement to reduce emissions, which includes developed and developing nations such as the United States, China and India for the first time.

Mr Abbott said today the terms of the agreement, which establishes a deadline for emissions reductions negotiations of 2015 and an implementation deadline of 2020, confirmed the government's carbon tax would be an unnecessary burden on households.

“That Durban has broken up with out any significant outcomes just proves that this is going to be a do-nothing decade for global action on climate change,” he said.

Read more > The Australian