The Business Council of Australia is a signatory to the cross-industry Australian Industry (AIGN) Greenhouse Network submissions to the Australian Greenhouse Office on issues raised in the National Emissions Trading: Establishing the Boundaries discussion paper.

The AIGN included the:

• Australian Aluminium Council
• Australian Automobile Association
• Australian Coal Association
• Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association
• Business Council of Australia
• Cement Industry Federation
• Electricity Supply Association of Australia
• Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries
• Minerals Council of Australia
• Plastics and Chemical Industries Association
• Pulp and Paper Manufacturers Federation of Australia.

The submission papers outline Australian industry’s recognition on the need for credible action in response to the potential threat posed by climate change, and the support for a phased approach to examining the technical issues involved in a national emissions trading system.

However,  the AIGN does so on the basis that contributions to the discussions should not be treated as universal acceptance of emissions trading given that a number of political, technical and scientific uncertainties remain.

The papers conclude that  emissions trading should not be unilaterally adopted because strategic questions on the global response, political uncertainties and the comprehensiveness of emissions trading need to be explored further. 

The four submission papers canvass greenhouse policy, the implications of the Kyoto Protocol, the potential of carbon credits, and national emissions trading.