2020-05-29
Today’s pathetic emissions reduction figures confirm the government is set to waste another year in reducing carbon pollution instead of embracing a renewable-powered hydrogen revolution, Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, said today.
“Angus Taylor must be looking at the graph upside down. Today’s emissions data confirms we will not meet the Paris Agreement goals and that global warming will exceed dangerous thresholds,” Mr Bandt said.
“We’re speeding towards a cliff at 200km/hr and the government’s only plan is to slow us down to 190km/hr before we go over the edge.
“The government hails these numbers, but on current trajectories, Australia will heat by up to 4 degrees, and we’ll be one of the worst off in a world that may only be able to support a billion people.
“The government is trying to flatten the COVID curve but not the emissions curve. It’s shocking that they think this blip is worth celebrating.
“Not only is this blip far below the 7% annual reductions needed to limit global warming to less than 1.5 degrees, it’s a reduction largely boosted by the destruction of our agricultural sector due to climate fuelled drought.
“To tackle the climate crisis we need structural change that transforms our economy, not decimal point dips bought off dead cattle and shattered livelihoods.
“Every farmer who had to put down livestock should be disgusted that Angus Taylor is using their industry’s collapse to cover for his lack of action on energy.
“The numbers also show the climate bomb built into Angus Taylor’s gas recovery plan. Fugitive emissions from gas are up last year, as they were the year before that, and the year before that. If the massive methane expansion goes ahead, this will shoot through the roof.
“If the methane mafia get their way, government will pour billions of dollars into an industry whose sole purpose is to produce a gas 86 times worse for the climate in the short term.
“It doesn’t have to be this way. Australia has all the resources to be a world leader in hydrogen powered manufacturing. We have vast amounts of renewable energy, bountiful iron ore, and people who are desperate to go back to meaningful work. All our government lacks is vision.
“We don’t have time to waste in tackling the climate crisis. This feeble gloating just confirms the government is happy to waste another year as it drives the country towards a climate cliff.”