Australia
faces some serious environmental problems, many having been highlighted in the
current election campaign. But the environmental
problem receiving the most attention is climate change.
This is not
surprising as it has become increasingly obvious to a growing number in the
community that climate change is fuelling extreme weather events such as
prolonged drought and heatwaves as well as reef bleaching, bushfires and many
other dramatic changes to natural systems.
More
electors are demanding effective action to curb the emissions causing these
changes. Of particular significance are
the growing calls for action from the young – those who will be forced to deal
with catastrophic impacts if effective action is not taken urgently.
So what
is on offer from the major parties in the election campaign?
The
Coalition parties are promising more of the same – a continuation of the direct
action policy in which taxpayers pay polluters to curb their emissions. There are no plans to lift energy from
renewable sources above 23% and there is clear support for the continued
burning of coal and building of coal power stations instead of any plan to
phase out this energy source.
The
division on climate policy within the Coalition has made it impossible for it
to develop and implement an effective policy. This was clearly shown with the
failure of the NEG (National Energy Guarantee) last year and the coup against
Prime Minister Turnbull. Despite this
division and the continuing rise in carbon emissions, the current Prime
Minister and others in the Coalition have unrealistically claimed that the
nation will meet its Paris commitments “in a canter”.
The
Coalition is failing future generations as well as ignoring the long term
national interest.
The
Labor Party wants much greater cuts to emissions – 45% by 2030 - and the move
to 50% renewable energy by 2030. While
this is a distinct improvement on the Coalition’s position, there are significant
weaknesses in its policy including its support for fracking gas in the NT’s
Beetaloo Basin.
A
climate emergency has recently been declared in the UK. What chance is there of that happening in
Australia?
-
Leonie Blain
This article was originally published in the VOICES FOR THE EARTH column in The Daily Examiner on May 6, 2019
