2020-11-09
Greens Leader Adam Bandt says the Greens will back a new climate bill from the crossbench, but that stronger action by 2030 is needed and that the climate debate is now all about the 2030 targets.
“With Donald Trump gone, a big blocker to global climate action has been removed,” Bandt said.
“When Scott Morrison fronts next year’s climate summit, where countries are expected to lift their 2030 targets, there will be nowhere left to hide.
“Kevin Rudd, on Insiders, rightly pointed out that Liberal and Labor need to do better on 2030 targets.
“Australia has for years buddied up with Trump to be blockers on global climate action. With Donald Trump gone, the world is now poised to take a huge step forward on climate.
“Joe Biden has talked about the climate crisis as an existential threat and as an emergency that we need to act on this decade.
“What we do over the next decade is more important than what we do by 2050.
“Biden’s commitment to 2035 zero-emissions electricity will see massive, immediate changes in the US with big implications for climate action globally.
“If Australia doesn’t come forward with strong 2030 ambition for the Glasgow summit, we’ll be left out in the cold with Russia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia as the rest of the world joins the jobs-rich, high-tech rapid transition out of fossil fuels.
“On current projections, that would mean that 64% of Australia’s old, unreliable coal fleet will still be in operation 2035, while the US will be at zero,” Bandt said.
Steggall bill:
“The Greens congratulate Zali Steggall for bringing this forward. I watched the last Member for Warringah tear down climate action so it is good to see this one try to get some of it back.”
“We need not just a long-term zero emissions goal, but stronger 2030 targets too, in line with the science, because if we don't take action this decade, it may be too late.”
[The Greens’ pathway to zero emissions is set out here]