SOCIAL justice groups are pressuring the Greens to abandon their opposition to the government's emissions trading scheme, arguing continued rejection of the contentious bill could set back climate change policy in Australia for years.
While none fully backed the government's revamped scheme, World Vision, the Uniting Church and the Brotherhood of St Laurence each supported it being passed. They dismissed Coalition claims the scheme would hurt the poor, saying they would be adequately supported through a package paying 120 per cent compensation to low-income households.
World Vision and the Uniting Church called on the Greens to set aside concerns the scheme did not do enough to cut greenhouse gas emissions and accept it as the best option available. World Vision chief executive Tim Costello urged the Greens to do ''everything they can'' to get a scheme in place.
''For the sake of the planet let's get going, let's show some movement, and a price on carbon is the only way,'' he said.
Mark Zirnsak, director of the Uniting Church's social justice unit, said the Senate's opposition to the bill had been ''a real win for the sceptics''.
He said the Greens' proposal of an interim $20 carbon tax, with the price rising with inflation, would lead to more delays and a further round of industry lobbying for compensation.
The Brotherhood of St Laurence's Tony Nicholson said Labor's proposal was the best on offer and its compensation for low-income households was ''very adequate''.
The emissions bill could pass if it was backed by the five Greens senators and retained the support of the two Liberal senators, Judith Troeth and Sue Boyce, who voted with the government in December.
Greens climate change spokeswoman Christine Milne dismissed this possibility. She said the Greens' proposal - the subject of ongoing negotiations with Climate Change Minister Penny Wong - had won wide support as a ''deadlock breaker''.
The Indian Government has backed the embattled head of the UN's climate change panel, Rajendra Pachauri, and broadly endorsed its findings.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh used a speech to express his confidence in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and its chairman. Dr Singh praised Dr Pachauri for his ''able and far-sighted'' leadership.
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