Australia's ‘hypocritical’ green tariffs thought bubble
Experts have shot down climate minister Chris Bowen's proposal for green tariffs in Australia, describing the idea as hypocritical and impractical.
The federal government recently floated a trial balloon on the concept of "green tariffs" that would shield Australia's steel and cement industries against cheaper imports from countries with weaker climate policies . But experts have swiftly shot the balloon down, describing the idea as impractical and hypocritical.
Climate minister Chris Bowen earlier this month said the government would consult with industry over whether Australia should copy a move made by the European Union and impose carbon border tariffs on imports from countries with less stringent climate targets such as China and Vietnam.
Prominent left-leaning economist Professor John Quiggin described the proposal as "hypocritical protectionism" because Australia is major exporter of fossil fuels.
“Carbon rules don’t stop us from exporting all of the coal and gas that we want. Europeans have a pretty good gripe because they have a carbon price and they have industries that need protecting. And they don’t export fossil fuels,” Quiggin, laureate fellow at the University of Queensland, told Capital Brief.
