Carbon Politics

John Howard promised not to "sacrifice" the jobs of coalminers with knee-jerk environmental policies as he sharpened his attack on Labor's climate change policies.

Signalling an election-year campaign to woo voters in coal-based electorates, the Prime Minister called for a "measured and sensible" approach to climate change.

But with Kevin Rudd determined to portray his rival as out of touch on the issue, Labor intensified its call for immediate action to reduce damaging greenhouse gas emissions.

The parliamentary brawl came as the Prime Minister's emissions trading taskforce floated the idea of businesses operating under a "single trading scheme" worldwide withthe release of its issues paper.