World to cross disastrous climate threshold as Labor and Liberals push for more gas

2023-05-18

As scientists warn that our planet is on track to reach a disastrous 1.5C of warming earlier than predicted, Adam Bandt has slammed the Labor and Liberal parties for continuing to support the industries causing the climate crisis.

The world committed to keeping below 1.5C of warming above pre-industrial levels as part of the Paris Agreement. Labor’s 43% emissions reduction target is inconsistent with this goal. The World Meteorological Organisation has said that the crucial threshold is likely to be breached as early as 2027.

The world is on track for between 2 and 3 degrees of warming. Keeping global heating below 1.5C is vital, as beyond this threshold, we risk causing chain reactions that humans will no longer be able to control. Hundreds of millions of people will experience extreme heat waves, drought will become significantly more likely, agriculture globally will become more challenging, and coral reefs will entirely collapse.

The world’s scientists, the UN Secretary General and the International Energy Agency have all said that to meet climate goals, there can be no new coal and gas mines.

Despite this, both Labor and Liberal have again pledged they are ‘at the disposal’ of the gas industry at this week’s APPEA conference. Methane gas is 86 times more potent in causing global heating than CO2. 

Lines attributable to Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP:

“We are on the verge of going over the climate cliff, but Labor and Liberal are actively making the problem worse,” Mr Bandt said.

“Coal and gas are the causes of the climate crisis, but Labor and Liberal want more. The Greens will fight tooth and nail against any move by Labor and Liberal to open more gas mines. 

“By pushing more gas, Labor and Liberal are putting lives at risk, bringing worse fires, floods and droughts to Australia.

“Both major parties are using the petroleum industry conference this week to try and outbid each other on their support for an industry killing the planet.

“From deadly bushfires to devastating floods, we’re already seeing the impacts of the climate crisis. Crossing 1.5C means the world will be fundamentally changed for generations. We can’t hand over this terrifying and dangerous world to our kids.

“Labor energy ministers saying that they are at the ‘disposal’ of the gas industry, and net zero is unreachable without new gas. They’re using $1.5 billion to kickstart the Middle Arm Precinct, which aims to unlock the billions of tonnes of climate pollution in the Beetaloo Basin.

“Meanwhile, Peter Dutton is saying he ‘trusts’ the gas industry ‘instinctively’ to decarbonise. 

“While scientists, economists and energy experts are pleading with politicians to stop opening new gas, Labor and Liberal are parroting the propaganda from gas corporations instead of taking them on. 

“This latest warning from scientists must be our final wake up call. We can’t keep opening up new coal and gas. Coal and gas have to stay in the ground."