April 27, 2016

ALP’s climate plan must go further to avert dangerous climate change

CANBERRA, 27th April: 350.org welcomes initiatives announced by the ALP today to cut Australia’s carbon pollution, but says the Party must to do more to keep fossil fuels safely in the ground if it is serious about avoiding dangerous climate change.

“Today’s announcement is a promising sign from the ALP but we need the major parties to take full responsibility for our coal and gas pollution if we are to have any hope of tackling the tragic climate impacts unfolding around us,” said Isaac Astill from 350.org Australia.

“Under this plan, monstrous new fossil fuel projects will still get the green light – projects like Adani’s reef-wrecking and climate-cooking Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin and BP’s disastrous oil drilling in our precious Great Australian Bight.

“Under this plan, we will still see billions of dollars in taxpayer’s money handed over to the fossil fuel industry  in the form of subsidies. Money that could be better spent on health, education, and renewable sources of energy.

“We cannot afford half-baked climate plans if want to stop baking the climate and our communities.

“Right now the planet is experiencing unprecedented temperature rises. The Great Barrier Reef is almost entirely bleached. We’ve seen raging fires creating their own weather systems and storms washing away the homes of our Pacific neighbours. All of this is being driven by the mining and burning of fossil fuels, which this plan only partially addresses.

“Australians everywhere agree that we’ve put too many eggs in the mining basket. They agree that coal and gas are bad investments.  And they overwhelmingly agree that we need to stop handing over billions of taxpayer dollars as subsidies to the big polluters.

“With a Federal election only weeks away and climate devastation everywhere you look, we urgently need serious leadership from the Government and the Opposition.

“It’s time for our politicians to stand up to the big polluters and the climate blockers in our parliament. It’s time we kept fossil fuels where they belong – in the ground.” concluded Astill.

Media Enquiries: Charlie Wood 0427 485 233 or Cam Klose 0490 436 948