The Intergenerational Report grants 11 mentions to climate change, arguing "governments must continue to plan for the economic and environmental effects of climate change". While it says there may be economic benefits to climate change, it says there may also be falling crop yields and increasing damage to infrastructure from extreme weather.
The report sets out the government's current policies – namely its $2.55 billion emissions reduction fund, which pays polluters to reduce emissions, and for projects to clean up air and water pollution.
It says the government will meet Australia's Kyoto target to reduce emissions by 5 per cent on 2000 levels by 2020 and that Australia will join global efforts to set new post-2020 targets in the lead up to December's global climate change conference in Paris.
But critics said on Thursday the report was a lurch backwards from 2010, with no projections for how the government will address climate change for the next 40 years, no assessment of the fiscal impact of policies such as Direct Action, and no estimation of what the economic and social costs of climate change will be.
The report says there is "no one-size-fits all" approach to reduce emissions and in its assessment of international efforts to tackle climate change ignores countries that have moved toward carbon pricing or begun proposing tough post-2020 targets.
"When it comes to climate change, this Intergenerational Report barely addresses challenges for this generation let alone the next," Climate Institute chief executive John Connor said.
"While we welcome that the report acknowledges the internationally agreed goal of avoiding 2 degrees Celsius warming above pre-industrial levels, we think that it is reckless that the report fails to acknowledge the economic challenges and opportunities for Australia in doing its fair share to help achieve that goal."
The Australian Conservation Foundation said the report "pays lip service to the environment but it paints a future where Australia remains stuck with a fossil fuel-driven economy".
The report sets out the government's current policies – namely its $2.55 billion emissions reduction fund, which pays polluters to reduce emissions, and for projects to clean up air and water pollution.
It says the government will meet Australia's Kyoto target to reduce emissions by 5 per cent on 2000 levels by 2020 and that Australia will join global efforts to set new post-2020 targets in the lead up to December's global climate change conference in Paris.
But critics said on Thursday the report was a lurch backwards from 2010, with no projections for how the government will address climate change for the next 40 years, no assessment of the fiscal impact of policies such as Direct Action, and no estimation of what the economic and social costs of climate change will be.
The report says there is "no one-size-fits all" approach to reduce emissions and in its assessment of international efforts to tackle climate change ignores countries that have moved toward carbon pricing or begun proposing tough post-2020 targets.
"When it comes to climate change, this Intergenerational Report barely addresses challenges for this generation let alone the next," Climate Institute chief executive John Connor said.
"While we welcome that the report acknowledges the internationally agreed goal of avoiding 2 degrees Celsius warming above pre-industrial levels, we think that it is reckless that the report fails to acknowledge the economic challenges and opportunities for Australia in doing its fair share to help achieve that goal."
The Australian Conservation Foundation said the report "pays lip service to the environment but it paints a future where Australia remains stuck with a fossil fuel-driven economy".
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