Australia steps toward making big polluters reduce emissions

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian government has taken a major step toward implementing a key climate policy that would force chief greenhouse gas polluters to reduce emissions. The center-left Labor Party administration said the so-called Safeguard Mechanism reforms are essential to Australia reaching its target of reducing its emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by the end of the decade. The reforms would create a ceiling on the nation’s emissions and force Australia’s 215 biggest polluting facilities to reduce their emissions over time. The legislation passed the House of Representatives on Monday. With the support of the Greens’ 11 senators, the government only needs the backing of two unaligned or minor party senators to get the reforms through the upper chamber.