Although much of the developed world seems to be pushing forward with measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, Australia seems less committed. The Abbott government has published a white paper on the future for the energy industry but includes only a token mention of climate change. The Guardian reports that the document says that the government will not try to force energy companies to close coal-fired power stations or implement greener technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast to similar white papers of previous Australian governments, the new document states: “Investment decisions on future (electricity) generation assets, including choice of technology, are best made by industry, given its insights into market needs. The Australian government will seek to maintain stable and predictable policy settings across the range of areas that affect such investment decisions, while taking a technology-neutral approach.”
