The Federal Opposition's education spokesman, Christopher Pyne, says the Liberals should position themselves at the next election as the party most committed to tackling climate change.
In an article ''Looking back from Opposition'' in the latest edition of the Sydney Institute Quarterly, Mr Pyne says the Liberal Party has a history of forcing change which, combined with its economic credentials, could win it a groundswell of support at the coming election if it prioritises environmental action.
''There is a demonstrable need to address the release of carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere. That this must be done in a way that maintains our standard of living and is economically sustainable is also beyond question,'' he writes.
''The Liberal Party must place itself at the forefront of this debate ... We cannot now vacate the field to our political opponents. Instead, we need to be on the side of politics that provides the solutions. We have the economic credibility to carry the argument for the environment.''
Mr Pyne said the Menzies government's decision to support state aid to Catholic schools in the mid-1960s was an example of the party being able to recognise a change in social attitudes and adapting its policies to reflect that.
''Today's Liberals must be prepared to look to the future in an equally unblinkered way if we wish to survive and flourish,'' he writes.
''A similarly marked shift [to state aid] that is necessary for the contemporary Liberal Party is in our approach and rhetoric on the issue of climate change. The view that the activity of the human race has added to changes to the climate and the warming of the Earth, is not a view with which one will get any argument from younger generations and which is increasingly accepted by all generations.''
Mr Pyne said the former Howard government had ''a sound record of action'' on the environment, and, ''as a direct result of the policies of the Howard government, it is estimated that Australia will save 87 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2010''. This was commensurate with removing 14 million cars, trucks and buses from our roads and ending all domestic rail, air and shipping movements.
Mr Pyne said the Opposition was committed to setting medium and long-term targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and while in Government, had begun the work to establish the framework for an emissions trading scheme by 2011-12.
He said the popularity of GetUp!, the continued support for the Australian Greens, and Australian Democrats before them, as well as Mr Pyne's experience as a local MP, illustrated the interest in the environment was not about to abate.
Noting that Liberal Party representation had declined at both the Commonwealth and state and territory level by 40 per cent since 1996, Mr Pyne said recent electoral contests in 2008, including the Western Australia election win, by-election win in the seat of Mayo, strong Northern Territory showing and increased vote in the ACT, had shown the party could still ''pack a punch''.
''Our prospects for success at the next federal election are high.''