New Zealand will host a conference of climate specialists this week where talks will be held if Aussies and Kiwis can have their emissions schemes linked with each other to have a wider range of abatement options. Critics like KPMG climate change analyst Antony Cohen believe this can shoot carbon permits prices to $40 per tonne in Australia and can also increase electricity rates by 30%.

Aussies currently plan a scheme which will restrict import of carbon permits and will totally disallow their export, whereas New Zealand does not have any such restrictions in their scheme.

The 4th Australian-New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference (PDF) will be held in Auckland from August 18-20 and Rudd will meet Kiwi PM Helen Clark to consider the carbon trading schemes.

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Tags: Antony Cohen, Auckland, Australia, Carbon Market, Carbon Permits, Carbon Trading, Emissions Trading Scheme, Gary Taylor, Helen Clark, KPMG, New Zealand, Rudd