Former federal environment minister Ian Campbell says Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson should avoid playing populist politics and support a carbon trading scheme.
Dr Nelson has refused to support Professor Ross Garnaut's report into climate change and says an emissions trading scheme by 2010 could put the economy at risk.
Attending a public address by Prof Garnaut at the Perth Town Hall today, Mr Campbell said Dr Nelson should get on board.
"I think what the opposition needs to realise is they can be quite proud of the role that we played in government to get a trading scheme on to the policy agenda," Mr Campbell said.
"The best thing the opposition can do is to take a really constructive approach, set a high bar for the government, create some leadership and try to avoid playing populist politics."
Mr Campbell, a former environment minister in the Howard government who is now consulting and advising on solar and geothermal energy projects, says Prof Garnaut is on the right track.
"It is in our advantage to get a trading scheme in sooner rather than later ... because if Australians can understand how a carbon constrained world and carbon pricing and carbon trading work then we will be a generation ahead of most of the rest of the world," he said.
Mr Campbell said NSW Treasurer Michael Costa's call for concessions for the coal industry may not be needed.
"It's incredibly important that we realise that coal and fossil fuels whether we like it or not, will be part of the world's energy mix for many, many, many generations to come," the former minister said.
"Putting in place an effective economic mechanism to ensure that we use those fossil fuels but do so with much, much lower emissions, is really important.
"And if we get the emissions trading scheme right then Australia's coal will become an economic advantage and not a disadvantage," Mr Campbell said.
