Energy policy in Australia: A comparison of environmental considerations in New South Wales and Victoria

World-wide, people and governments are gradually becoming more aware of the potential environmental, economic and health effects of climate change and the need for governments to take action to mitigate such impacts. This was emphasised by the creation of the United Nations Framework Convention on C limate Change (UNFCCC), signed at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. There has b een much discussion on the greenhouse policy response of the commonwealth g overnment of Australia, especially its stance taken at Kyoto in December 19 97. Despite the recent nationalisation of Australia's state energy markets, due to Australia's federal political structure, much of the policy respons ibility for energy and environmental issues rests with the states. Given th ese circumstances it is surprising that there has been relatively little ac ademic focus on the energy policies of the states. This paper attempts to p artially fill the policy analysis 'gap' by investigating the present enviro nmental aspects of the energy policies of NSW and Victoria, implemented sin ce the signing of the UNFCCC in 1992. NSW and Victoria are Australia's most populous states and are responsible for the bulk of the nation's greenhous e gas emissions with two very distinct policies.