Turnbull continues Abbott-style obstruction of international climate action

2015-11-12

The Turnbull Government has confirmed its opposition to a proposal by Japan and the US to cut international fossil fuel subsidies, by voting against a Greens Senate motion which was today narrowly defeated 30 votes to 30.

 "The Turnbull Government has today made clear that it is pushing ahead with Abbott-style obstruction of international climate action," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, said.  

"Under Malcolm Turnbull, the government is continuing to block a proposal by Japan and the US to reduce OECD countries' export credit subsidies to coal-fired power stations in developing countries.

"The world is finally recognising wealthy countries should fund renewable energy in developing countries, not coal-fired power stations, which pollute air and water and exacerbate global warming. 

"Not only is Prime Minister Turnbull keeping Tony Abbott's woefully inadequate climate targets, but he is taking over Tony Abbott's role as a climate wrecker on the global stage.

"This cynical strategy is driven by the Coalition Government's desire to please its big mining donors at the expense of the world's poorest people and Australia's safe climate future. 

"The Turnbull Government is fighting against the economic reality that the coal industry is in structural decline and that it can't compete with ever-advancing renewable technology, without these dirty subsidies.

"Australia should be leading the transition to the job-rich clean energy future, not blocking the global shift from fossil fuels," Senator Waters said.

Motion text:

 

 OECD coal subsidies

 

That the Senate -

 

  1. Notes
    1. The importance of transitioning to lower polluting forms of energy generation.
    2. That the US and Japan have agreed to limit OECD export subsidies to the most efficient types of coal power plants.
    3. The fact that subsidies from OECD export credit agencies to coal fired power stations in developing nations constitute an obstacle to the transition to clean energy in those nations. 
    4. Reports that the Turnbull government is set to block a proposal from the USA and Japan to remove OECD export credit subsidies for the dirtiest coal fired power stations in developing nations
  2. Calls on the Turnbull government to support the proposal from the USA and Japan to exclude the dirtiest coal fired power stations from receiving OECD export credit subsidies.