Greens call for $20 billion carbon tax to break emissions trading impasse

THE Greens have called on the government to back a $20 billion interim carbon tax proposal to start cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Greens leader Bob Brown and climate change spokeswoman Christine Milne unveiled the plan today, which would impose a carbon price on polluters of $20 a tonne from the first of July this year.

The Greens say the scheme would start to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions while the details of an emissions trading scheme and global targets are determined.

The government insists it will put the legislation for its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme before the parliament for a third time when politicians return to Canberra at the start of February, but the opposition and the Senate crossbenchers remain implacable opposed to the bills.

“With no prospect of Mr Abbott supporting the CPRS, bringing the bill back in February is looking like a political exercise that will get the government nowhere,” Senator Milne said.

“We propose to move immediately with an interim low carbon price. We can then discuss the longer term solutions Australia will need over the coming two years, secure in the knowledge that a carbon price is already in place, helping to unleash innovative and job creating climate solutions.”

The Greens say their proposal would raise $21 billion in revenue over two years.

Half of this would be handed back as assistance to low and middle income families.

$2.5 billion would be allocated for fighting climate change in developing countries.

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said the government was prepared to discuss the proposal with the Greens in further detail, adding “Any proposal put forward will have to be capable of meeting the Government's targets and will have to be economically responsible.”