The Abbott government has poured cold water on ambitious climate change targets recommended by the Climate Change Authority, saying they would put an undue burden on Australia.
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Responding to a report published on Wednesday by the independent authority, which recommended a 30 per cent reduction in emissions on 2000 levels by 2025, Environment Minister Greg Hunt said that would translate to Australia reducing the emissions intensity of its economy by a third more than any other country.
"On their own numbers, what the CCA is proposing is not just the largest reduction in emissions intensity in the world but a third more onerous than any other country," Mr Hunt said.
Experts rejected the government's arguments, saying the authority's recommendations were not excessive, nor were they too difficult for a country with higher economic and population growth than others.
Mr Hunt said on Wednesday the government was conducting public consultation for its own review of Australia's targets, and the CCA's report would be considered as part of that process.
The government will announce Australia's targets mid-year, six months before a global climate summit in Paris, where it is hoped a new climate agreement will be reached.
The Clean Energy Regulator is set to announce on Thursday the results of the first round of auctions for the government's emissions reduction fund, which replaced Labor's carbon tax and pays polluters to cut emissions.
"All indications are that it will be a success and will achieve real and significant abatement," Mr Hunt said.
Climate Institute deputy chief executive Erwin Jackson said the reduction in emissions intensity proposed by the authority was "more than some countries but less than others need to achieve to meet their targets".
Mr Jackson said the effort required by Australia to meet a 5 per cent target on 2000 levels by 2020 was less than that being offered by other countries.
Frank Jotzo, an economist with ANU's Crawford School of Public Policy, said the data used by the authority, which compared countries using a base year of 2005, showed the CCA's proposed target for Australia would require "the highest reduction in expected emissions intensity ... from a section of countries that have submitted their ambitions".
"What you can't say is it's necessarily more onerous because Australia's population growth and economic growth is faster than in other rich countries," Dr Jotzo said.
"Even after a higher percentage cut, the level of emissions intensity and the level of per capita emissions would still be much higher [in Australia] than other countries."
The authority's report also recommended a target of 40 to 60 per cent by 2030 and increasing Australia's 2020 target to 19 per cent.
The Minerals Council said on Wednesday "a cut to Australia's emissions between 40 and 60 per cent by 2030 would, if implemented, slash economic growth, real wages and household living standards. No credible economic analysis is offered in support of the proposed targets."
Chief executive Brendan Pearson said: "A 40 per cent cut in emissions is equivalent to closing down Australia's electricity, transport and agriculture sectors. It is neither feasible nor economically responsible."
