Australian parliament rejects carbon trade plan

CANBERRA. August 13. KAZINFORM. Australia's parliament rejected on Thursday a government plan for the world's most ambitious carbon emissions trade regime, bringing the nation closer to a snap election; Kazinform refers to China Daily.

Conservative lawmakers holding the largest block of votes in the upper house Senate joined with Green and independent Senators to defeat the government's plans for a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme set to start on 1 July, 2011.

Under the scheme, about 1,000 of Australia's biggest polluting companies would have had to purchase carbon permits, covering 75 percent of national emissions; Kazinform cites China Daily. See www.chinadaily.com.cn for full version.