THE world’s largest miner, BHP Billiton, has weighed into the climate change debate, warning that Australia should ”look beyond coal” and towards other energy sources.

The chief executive of BHP, Marius Kloppers, said Australia’s economy will suffer if it does not significantly reduce its carbon emissions in anticipation of a global carbon price .

…

Mr Kloppers stressed the need for a clear price signal on carbon emissions and recommended a combination of a carbon tax, land use actions and a limited emissions trading system, which could apply to electricity generators.

He said Australia’s energy production was particularly carbon intensive and the highest among OECD countries in terms of tonnes of carbon emitted per unit of energy. Coal-fired power stations account for almost half of the country’s emissions.

”Australia will need to look beyond just coal towards the full spectrum of available energy solutions,” he said.

…more at Sydney Morning Herald

via @johnB78)

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