As Australia’s minority Labor government moves to shift from a fixed carbon price, fresh research shows Australians have softened their attitude to the idea of an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
The Climate Institute says a growing number of Australians reject the argument the carbon price is based on false science and agree the impost should be given a go.
Attitudes about climate change were emerging from the shadows of the perceived “carbon tax lie”, institute CEO John Connor said.
“There is a sentiment of give carbon pricing a go,” he said in a statement today.
The research found that two-thirds of Australians accept climate change science, with a majority believing it was having an impact.
“Opposition to carbon pricing has dropped significantly but that’s not to say the policy is popular or understood,” Mr Connor said.
Associated research found that 43 per cent of Australians believed the carbon price regime should be given “a few years to work”.
Only 24 per cent thought electricity prices would return to pre-carbon price levels if the impost was abolished.
The government will announce today details of its decision to move from a carbon price to a market-based ETS in July next year, which is one year earlier than was originally planned.
It is also planned that Australia’s ETS will be linked to the troubled European Union ETS when this happens.
