The task group formed by the prime minister includes major coal industry players such as Xstrata’s Peter Coates, BHP Billiton’s Chris Lynch and International Power’s Tony Concannon.

Prime Minister John Howard said Sunday that new practical global solutions to climate change are needed that include all major economies and emitters and that take account of national goals for economic prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability.

“While there is no one single solution to the global climate change challenge we need to maintain the prosperity that our abundant fossil fuels have given us while at the same time exploring options for global climate change solutions and accelerating the development and deployment of low emissions and clean coal technologies,” Howard said.

He said the task group would advise on the nature and design of a workable global emissions trading system in which Australia would be able to participate and report on additional steps that might be taken in Australia, consistent with the goal of establishing such a system.

“This is a coal comfort inquiry set up by the prime minister with a dangerously closed mind. It avoids the logical first step to set up a domestic carbon trading system and levy a carbon tax on polluters to fund solar power,” Brown said.

“It will study a global trading system which is exactly what the Kyoto Protocol, repudiated by John Howard, is creating.”

The task group will be chaired by Dr Peter Shergold, secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Other members of the task group include:

• David Borthwick, secretary, Department of the Environment and Heritage
• Peter Coates, executive committee member, Xstrata
• Tony Concannon, managing director, International Power
• Dr Ken Henry, secretary, the Treasury
• Russell Higgins, non-executive company director, Australian Pipeline Trust
• Margaret Jackson, chair, Qantas
• Michael L’Estrange, secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Chris Lynch, executive director, BHP Billiton
• John Marlay, chief executive officer, Alumina Limited
• Mark Paterson, secretary, Department of Industry, Tourism and Resource
• John Stewart, managing director, National Australia Bank

The task group will hold its first meeting this month and report back to Howard by May 31, 2007.