Australia is not exactly known as a leader in the fight against global warming and transition away from fossil fuels. It is a giant in many mining industries, has very high per-capita carbon emissions, refused to sign on to the Kyoto protocol, and is one of only a handful of OECD nations (like Ireland, the Netherlands and Poland) with more than 90% reliance on combustible fuels for electricity.
But it looks like Australia may become the first nation to eliminate sales of incandescent bulbs.
Perth Now: Lights out for old bulb
THE humble light bulb is about to become history as Australia dumps it in favour of more energy efficient technology.
Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the standard incandescent light bulb, which has been around for 125 years, will be phased out by 2009.
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"We are introducing new energy efficiency standards and these old lights simply won't comply, they will be phased out and basically over a period of time they will no longer be for sale," Mr Turnbull told Channel 9.
Mr Turnbull said the plan was expected to save up to two million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Australia over time and, if introduced globally, could have an enormous impact.
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"If the rest of the world supports us ... follows our lead, this will reduce an amount of energy ... to the tune of five times as much energy as Australia consumes," he said.
"It's a little thing but it's a massive change."
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Stuff.co.nz: Aust to change lightbulbs to curb warming
Turnbull said the banning of incandescent bulbs would help trim 800,000 tonnes from Australia's current emissions level by 2012 and lower household lighting costs by 66 per cent.
British and Californian lawmakers also have been lobbying for bans on incandescent lightbulbs, which lose much of their energy as heat.
Australia's conservative Prime Minister John Howard said he would not adopt any Greenhouse targets which hurt the country's resource-reliant economy.
Australians are per head among the world's biggest greenhouse gas producers, but climate change issues are shaping up as major concerns for voters in national elections due later this year as severe drought grips the country.
Those last two paragraphs are key. John Howard is steadfast against any environmental change that will take as much as a dollar away from mining companies. Is the environment becoming a large enough issue in Australia in time to help a center-left victory? Perhaps. A huge proportion of the country is directly affected by management of the Murray-Darling river system, which is an urgent issue there.
I first saw the bulb news on local TV news, which pointed out that, with current Australian emission levels, that is only a saving of less than 1%. But I guess every bit helps.
On the other hand, maybe it just distracts from more important things the Australian government should be doing.
So, color me a skeptic. I'm thrilled if this gets more Australians to switch to CFL bulbs, and LED when they become mainstream. But I'm wary it is part of a ploy to make the center-right government - with its unbending support of Bush, disdain for the environment, and astonishingly disgusting treatment of refugees & asylum seekers - seem environmentally aware enough to cling to power in the elections later this year. I hope Australians see through it.