Cuts in greenhouse gas emissions achieved through the carbon tax and other measures will be negated by Australia's growing population, a sustainable population advocacy group says.
Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) says even if the federal government's emissions targets are met, the benefits will be wiped out before 2020 based on current population growth.
A larger population would have to reduce emissions by 20 per cent, instead of the five per cent required in 2011, to bring the nation's total emissions back to 2011 targets.
"Reining in population growth is essential if any impact is to be made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions," SPA national president Sandra Kanck said.
"While the opponents of a carbon tax will make much of the fact that our electricity prices will rise by around 10 per cent, a much bigger contributor already to electricity prices is population increase."
Ms Kanck, a former Australian Democrats MP in South Australia, said between 2007 and 2010 electricity prices rose by 20 to 30 per cent because of the increased costs of the distribution network, a direct result of more people needing power.
"More electricity will be consumed by allowing uncontained population growth, producing still more greenhouse gas emissions," she said.
"After all the hoo-ha about the carbon tax and targets, the public will justifiably be angry when they find out that the government's plans will make no difference to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia."
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