Mining, People and the Environment > Enviromine > MCA warns of more job loses from carbon scheme

Enviromine

The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has warned that a further 23,510 mining industry jobs could be lost in Australia as a result of the government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS).

The MCA said 23,510 jobs would be lost across Australia by 2020, and that 66,480 jobs would be lost by 2030 as a direct result of the scheme.

The warning follows an earlier announcement from the Australian Coal Association forecasting the loss of 10,000 jobs in the coal sector as a result of the carbon scheme.

“The proposed CPRS is out of step with global efforts to reduce emissions,” MCA chief executive, Mitchell Hooke, said. “By imposing the highest carbon costs in the world on Australia’s minerals exporters, it will eliminate jobs while failing to materially reduce global greenhouse gas levels.”

Under the scheme, Australia said it is committed to reduced greenhouse gas levels by 25% below 2000 levels by 2020 by making industry pay for the greenhouse gas pollution its emits.

But the MCA said that despite recent changes the CPRS is fundamentally flawed, as the minerals industry will face A$9 billion (US$6.9 billion) in carbon- related costs over the next five years.

“One simple change to CPRS would deliver a cap-and-trade emissions reduction scheme without the job destroying the impact of the current design,” Mr Hooke said. “It should include a phased approach to emissions trading – with the number of carbon permits auctioned increasing over time.”