Fifty-five companies doing business in Australia including electricity retailer AGL Energy Ltd. and builder Grocon Pty Ltd., have signed a statement backing Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s bid to initiate carbon trading.
The companies signed a letter sent to Gillard last night from the Carbon Markets & Investor Association supporting her plan for an emissions trading system to start in 2012. Gillard plans to announce on July 10 how the policy will be structured.
“As major Australian and international corporations and representative associations, we strongly support the introduction of a well-designed carbon price,” the letter said.
Gillard yesterday told parliament she would be “wearing out my shoe leather” to reverse record low public support for the climate measures in the world’s biggest coal exporter. She needs backing from the Greens Party and three independent lawmakers to get the plan through parliament in the second half of the year.
