PC PSA: Just say ‘no’ to charismatic abatement!

Let Me Sum Up

This week’s episode is one we prepared earlier (26 March 2023 to be exact) which means past us have just found out that Labor won the NSW election, and we don’t yet know the Safeguard Mechanism reforms are destined to pass Parliament with Greens support.

Slightly confusing, but bear with us as we forge ahead, titillating and teasing our dear Summeruperers with the promise of Tennant’s t-shirt designs invoking Die Hard/Die Harder but make it Safeguard. Folks, if you want to see the glory that is the ‘Safe Guarder’ premier LMSU t-shirt design start your twitter engines and let the spamming begin!

Before we dive into this week’s paper we discuss the recent release of the IPCC’s Synthesis report, completing the Sixth Assessment Report. The last major report we’ll see from the IPCC prior to the end of this critical decade, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned, the “climate time-bomb is ticking” and we need “climate action on all fronts - everything, everywhere, all at once.” Hear, hear!

This week’s paper is a swashbuckling sum-up (slaying?) of Volume 6: Managing the climate transition, part of the national Productivity Commission’s latest 5-yearly productivity inquiry, the 1,000 page monster Advancing Prosperity. A hard no for charismatic abatement but a yes on one economy-wide policy to rule them all, your intrepid hosts have thoughts! Many, many thoughts.

Tennant’s One More Thing is a shout out to the smart folks in NSW Treasury on a newly produced guideline, TPG23-08 NSW Government Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis, which bakes in a value of carbon referencing the EU ETS spot price (around $140/tonne). Super interesting prospects for government policy making. Kudos NSW Treasury peeps!

Frankie’s One More Thing is the recent (well it was when we recorded!) NSW election result with the NSW Labor party claiming victory for the first time in twelve years. Recapping key climate election commitments, a good foundation and plenty of room for more ambition!

Luke’s One More Thing completes the NSW trifecta with a shout out to outgoing NSW Treasurer, Energy and Climate Minister, Matt Kean, for championing the economic opportunities of the climate transition and his contribution to bipartisan climate policy in recent years. A hat tip to you, Matt!

And that’s all from us this week Summerupperers! We shall see you next time and until then, please keep tweeting your thoughts to us at @LukeMenzel, @TennantReed and @FrankieMuskovic and if you would like to weave some golden threads through our back catalogue, give us your feelpinions or suggest papers to read we are always here for that - hit us up at [e-mail].