CONCORD, N.H. —Gay couples in New Hampshire will be able to join in starting next year under a bill Gov. signed into law Thursday. “We in New Hampshire have had a long and proud tradition taking the lead and opposing discrimination,” Lynch said. “Today that tradition continues.” Couples who enter civil unions will have the same rights, responsibilities and obligations as married couples. Same-sex unions from other states also would be recognized if they were...
Companies forced to report high emissions
Posted in politics | Thursday, July 26th, 2007 | Trackback
Australia has taken a step towards setting up a greenhouse emissions trading scheme, after the state and territory environment ministers agreed to a plan for mandatory reporting.
The deal will see companies emitting more than 25,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year having to disclose those emissions from July 1 next year.
Environment ministers have met in Cairns today, where they have considered the plan put forward by Victorian Minister John Thwaites.
Mr Thwaites says a trial has been successful in Victoria and after agreement from the other environment ministers, it will go national next year.
He says the states have had to act because the Commonwealth has failed to do so.
“The Howard Government has spent the last 10 years delaying real action on climate change,” he said.
“They have still not come up with a proper system of reporting for emissions from major industry and so the states have stepped in and required a reporting of emissions from the 1st of July next year.”
He says the decision is very important.
“Unless you can monitor and report on greenhouse gases, you’re not going to start reducing greenhouse gases, tackling climate change,” he said.
“This is the first national step to ensuring that we report on greenhouse gas emissions and start reducing them.”
Mr Thwaites says he expects industry to respond well to the National Pollution Inventory, after the pilot scheme worked in Victoria.
“It was the lowest-cost way of reporting on greenhouse gases, so over time I’m sure that industry will see the benefits of this,” he said.
“Of course, in the short term, there will always be those who don’t agree with requirements that lead to reporting of greenhouse gases but the time for delaying has passed, the time for action is now with us.”
