Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, today expressed hope that the rumours in today's Crikey email of a disastrously weak emissions reduction target in Professor Garnaut's Supplementary Draft Report are incorrect.

Senator Milne said "Professor Garnaut has done a remarkably good job of developing credibility in a field he was completely uncomfortable in until just a year ago.

"Today's rumoured target is even weaker than that proposed by the climate troglodytes at the Business Council of Australia, and would see Australia play no form of responsible role in the global fight to prevent runaway climate change.

"A target of between 2000 levels and 15% below 2000 levels by 2020 cannot pretend to be aimed at avoiding runaway climate change. When using the most up-to-date models, taking into account climate cycle feedbacks, these targets would condemn our planet to a future none of us would like to live in.

"In his most recent report, it was clear that Professor Garnaut was laying the groundwork for using Australia's high projected population growth as the basis for a lax target.

"Any target which takes into account Australia's high population growth must also take into account our extraordinarily high per capita emissions in the first place.

"In order to be equitable, and in order to gain global trust in the international negotiations, Australia must make the effort that other countries have made and at least halve our per capita emissions before we can claim any benefits from our high population growth projections.

I sincerely hope that the rumours are wrong and that Professor Garnaut will not undermine his own reputation by recommending a patently weak and disastrous target."

Contact: Tim Hollo on 0437 587 562