A national emissions trading scheme based on scientifically established reduction targets is the most comprehensive way to tackle the challenge of bringing down Australia's emissions, according to the WA Sustainable Energy Association Inc. (WA SEA), Australia's largest state-based business chamber for the sustainable energy industry.

‘WA SEA is an industry chamber supporting market-based solutions to grow sustainable energy,' says Prof. Ray Wills, WA SEA Chief Executive and Adjunct Professor with The University of Western Australia.

‘Any business group interested in an economically efficient means of dealing with emissions supports market-based approaches, and an emissions trading system is that and more,' says Prof Wills.

‘Emissions trading systems have been used around the world to effectively broker changes in industry practice, and demonstrated to be both more economically efficient and also environmentally effective than other means.'

‘A key is that market design must be based on open and transparent transactions to ensure both monitoring and compliance costs are minimised.'

‘While direct incentives for change to both the domestic and commercial markets to reduce emissions via both energy efficiency and procurement of lower emissions energy are important measures that should be included in any design to maximise change, a trading system is singularly the most sensible strategic economic measure to broker a more sustainable economy,' says Prof Wills.

Editors notes:

1. The Western Australian Sustainable Energy Association Inc. (WA SEA) is a chamber of enterprises has a growing membership of almost 300 industry members from a diversity of businesses, and the largest state-based industry body of its kind in Australia. www.wasea.com.au.
2. WA SEA bringing you the Energising WA Conference 22-24 March 2010, Perth.
3. The WA Sustainable Energy Association Inc. (WA SEA) has moved premises and now has new address and phone numbers - please update your records with WA SEA's new contact details as below:
WA Sustainable Energy Association Inc. (WA SEA)
Street: 48 Lake St, Northbridge
Postal: GPO Box 2409, PERTH WA 6000
Phone: (08) 9228 1292
Fax: (08) 9228 0597
Key WA SEA contacts:
Prof Ray Wills, Chief Executive
Graham Duda, Business Manager
Lisa Murray, Membership and Events Manager
Neil Prentice, Advisory Services Manager