The Australian Greens said on Wednesday clean energy draft legislation released by two U.S. congressmen goes far beyond Australia's equivalent proposed laws.
"Our goal is to strengthen our economy by making America the world leader in new clean energy and energy efficiency technologies," the U.S. House of Representatives energy and commerce committee chairman Henry Waxman said in a statement.
Greens Senator Christine Milne said in a statement on Wednesday the U.S. bill has surpassed Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Climate Change Minister Penny Wong's offering.
"While the government continues to shackle Australia to a high-polluting past, America is leading the rest of the world into the future," Milne said.
According to Milne, the draft bill out of the U.S. Congress was not perfect and would undoubtedly need improvement, but it was streets ahead of the Rudd-Wong approach.
"The world is moving on and leaving Australia behind," Senator Milne said.
The bill, released by the U.S. House of Representatives energy and commerce committee on Tuesday, promised to create jobs, end American dependence on foreign oil and combat global warming.
Under the legislation, U.S. emissions would be reduced 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.
Australia's planned emissions trading scheme proposes a 5 to 15 percent drop from 2000 levels by 2020.
(Xinhua News Agency April 1, 2009)
