Australia is on the brink of correcting its big emission problem — maybe.

Eighty percent of Australia's energy comes from coal, and extracting it from the earth and burning it contributes to the country being, per person, one of the powerhouse emitters on the planet. In fact, in 2004 each Aussie's emission level was 4.5 times the global average.

To improve this picture, an emission-trading scheme is being proposed: A national cap would be established and companies emitting above the cap would buy permits from companies that emit under it. Since being over the limit costs money and being under the limit makes money, the idea is for the country to move itself toward cleaner technologies. There's also talk of a permit auction, with the proceeds offsetting rising electricity and gas prices.

The scheme has a successful precedent — the cap and trade system to limit acid rain in the '90s was successful at a lower-than-expected cost. But Australia is suffering from a major drought, while inflation and fuel prices soar.

Has Australia got that kind of self-discipline?

Questions can be sent to Jim Parks at jrparks@mac.com.To find out more about Jim Parks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.