GE seeks to put a price on carbon
Among 20 other firms looking to cut costs to combat emissions
Melbourne: Australia must introduce a price on carbon to give businesses the certainty needed to invest in clean energy and to create jobs, 20 companies including General Electric, Siemens and Vestas Wind Systems said.
A price on carbon is crucial to Australia meeting its target of cutting emissions by five per cent from 2000 levels by the end of the decade, member companies of the Clean Energy Council said in an open letter to the country's major political parties.
"Business accepts the need to act on climate change and wants certainty to invest in clean energy and create jobs," the council said in its letter. The price on carbon should be implemented "as soon as possible."
The letter was supported by companies such as AGL Energy, Australia's largest electricity and gas retailer, CLP Holdings' TRUenergy, GE, Siemens and Vestas, the world's largest wind-turbine maker.
The council has more than 350 members. Neither the Labor Party-led government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard nor Tony Abbott's Liberal-National coalition won a majority in Australia's August 21 election. The two sides are negotiating with independent lawmakers to determine who will form the next government.
