Climate Change

Mitigating and adapting to climate change is an urgent priority. Reducing production and consumption of fossil fuels and creating ambitious emissions reduction plans presents the opportunity for the NT to become a global renewable energy superpower. Adaptation must focus on communities most impacted by climate change, particularly First Nations communities, to ensure all of the NT is a climate resilient and livable place into the future. 

Principles

The NT Greens believe:

  1. Current and credible science confirms that impacts of the climate crisis pose an existential threat to ecosystems, biodiversity and livable human societies. These impacts are occurring now and will continue to occur with increasing frequency and severity. Urgent action to reduce emissions can help avoid the worst impacts.
  2. Urgent, coordinated and sustained action and investment at scale across all facets of the economy and society is required to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, with a focus on rapid decarbonisation and renewable energy transition and support for those communities and groups most impacted.
  3. The NT is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to its remoteness, disproportionate social and economic marginalisation and its highly seasonal and extreme climate zones.
  4. The impacts of climate change will disproportionately impact First Nations people, cultural knowledge and heritage.
  5. Government must lead and unite mitigation efforts, enable and support business and industry to rapidly decarbonise and transition to renewables, and provide support for communities and sectors to adapt to climate impacts.
  6. Climate mitigation and adaptation action is environmentally, socially and economically responsible.
  7. Avoiding and mitigating emissions are the most effective way of reducing emissions. A scientifically credible carbon offset system that ensures genuine and timely reduction of greenhouse gas emissions should be a last resort.

Aims

The NT Greens want:

Mitigation

  1. Net zero or negative greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible or by 2035.
  2. A comprehensive emissions reduction plan with legislated annual targets and emissions limits. This plan would be implemented through reporting requirements for all sectors with significant greenhouse gas emissions.
  3. A ban on all new exploration, development and production of fossil fuels for domestic use and export, including gas.
  4. To end and remove all public subsidies for fossil fuel industries.
  5. To phase out existing fossil fuel assets.
  6. Reform of energy markets including support to develop distributed generation, storage and transmission of renewable energy.
  7. To build a renewables industry and transition remote communities to renewable energy (see NT Greens Remote communities, homelands and town camps policy).
  8. Strengthened environmental laws and systems to protect, preserve and promote natural carbon sequestration.
  9. A government duty to respond to  climate change (including limiting climate change) in all government decision making.
  10. Government's vehicle fleet procurement policies to support use of zero emission vehicles.
  11. Support for consumer energy efficiency measures.
  12. A central role for First Nations peoples in determining new energy projects on Country (see NT Greens Strong First Nations self determination policy and Strong Country policy).

 

Adaptation

  1. Comprehensive adaptation planning to identify key risks and prepare the NT to manage impacts of climate change in a just, responsible and sustainable way.
  2. Transition support for regions, businesses and communities including assistance to key sectors,people and groups disproportionately impacted by climate change.
  3. Specific support for remote and First Nations communities to adapt to climate impacts.
  4. Support for new jobs, skills, technologies and markets in a low carbon and renewables-based economy