The NT is unavoidably in the midst of a global climate emergency driven by the extraction and burning of fossil fuels.
We must identify, and address, the climate risks and adaptation opportunities that are peculiar to the NT.
Remote communities are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to severe housing shortages, discrepancies in health outcomes, food security and economic marginalisation.
Remote Territorians must be supported to confront the impact of climate change.
We will provide expert support to enable remote communities to evaluate options for developing infrastructure to address climate impacts.
We will prioritise investment in culturally appropriate housing in major population centres to accommodate inevitable influx of climate change refugees from around the NT.
We need to see the NT economy reach net zero emissions, so the NT must immediately begin reducing emissions year-on-year.
This necessarily requires no new fossil fuel, and a big role for renewable energy.
We will undertake a massive, ambitious investment in decarbonising our economy, to minimise the impacts of climate change, but also to realise the economic opportunities of a rapid transition to renewable energy.
The NT must grow activities in carbon emission reduction through improved land management, and capitalise on the multiple benefits, including employment, of Indigenous Territorians in fire abatement, weed control and other land management activities.
The NT Greens will Introduce a Climate Change Act
The development of a Climate Change Act for the Northern Territory is necessary to deliver the required actions and strategies for transition.
The structure of an NT Climate Change Act should include the following key provisions:
- Decision making obligations to ensure emission reduction targets are delivered.
- Clearly articulated considerations for decision makers to apply when making a decision that has implications for climate change.
- A framework for monitoring, reporting and verifying outcomes and progress against listed targets.
- Authorise an independent body to provide expert advice on the impact of climate change in the Northern Territory while providing independent oversight on the progress of the relevant actions.
- Clear emission reduction targets across each sector of the NT economy, including interim targets and a process of regular reporting against those targets.
Unless an Act is passed that enshrines in law responsibilities and commitments across mitigation and adaptation, climate policy will not survive election cycles.