Climate Change

We are in a climate emergency; environmental collapse is rapidly approaching. The increase in extreme climate-related events shows us that global heating is now a direct and present threat to every aspect of our lives that we cherish and hold dear. A rapid reduction of human-induced emissions and adaptive strategies are needed to address climate change. Western Australia can play a leading role in addressing the climate crisis through the abundance of renewable energy resources within it. Currently, Western Australia's emissions are increasing whilst Australia's overall emissions have been gradually reduced. The Greens (WA) not only want Western Australia to do its fair share in contributing to national and global emission reduction efforts, but to lead in a just transition towards a zero-carbon society where the prosperity from new clean energy industries belong to the people. The Greens (WA) recognise the role of local, state and federal governments, business and households in addressing climate change.
The Greens (WA) recognise that climate change disproportionately affects the most disadvantaged in the community and support a just transition to a zero-carbon economy.

Aims

The Greens (WA) want: 

  • A rapid reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide but also methane and nitrous oxide
  • Western Australia's domestic and exported fossil fuel based greenhouse gas emissions to be drastically reduced as a matter of urgency
  • a transition to a zero-carbon economy based on renewable energy and energy efficiency and increased drawdown through photosynthetic carbon dioxide sequestration1
  • polluter-pays principle applied to all major emitters of greenhouse gases
  • Western Australia to be a leader in renewable energy production and low carbon technology research, innovation and manufacturing
  • an equitable and progressive distribution of the costs of reducing greenhouse emissions and adapting to climate change

Measures

Greens (WA) will initiate and support legislation and actions that:

Institutional reform

  • establish a pathway for achieving net zero emissions for WA by 2035 through building on the WA Climate Policy (2020)
  • establish a strategy with the Federal Government for the phaseout of export of liquified natural gas (LNG), which contributes to both domestic and global greenhouse emissions
  • establish an independent Climate Change Commission comprising seven environmental and climate scientists to provide independent and expert advice to the Minister
  • ban the fossil fuel industry from providing financial support to political parties, entities, particularly cultural and sporting entities in the form of sponsorship, lobbying and advertising

Phase out Fossil Fuels

  • end direct and indirect subsidies to fossil fuel energy sources and promote development of long-term, efficient and renewable energy technologies
  • support the complete phase out of coal fired power generation in Collie prior to 2030, while supporting the development of programs to assist the Collie community to transition to more sustainable sources of economic prosperity
  • ban new or expanded coal, oil and gas exploration and exploitation and support phase out of existing operations consistent with a policy of reaching net-zero emissions by 2035
  • require full, open and transparent annual disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions from all stages of fossil fuel extraction, processing and export, including fugitive emissions
  • require companies to be legally compelled to fully fund and implement rehabilitation of their extraction sites (see also Greens (WA) Resource Mining policy)
  • ensure a just transition for communities currently dependent on fossil fuel industries to alternative economies
  • support energy efficiency measures from household to industry level so as to minimise energy demand (see Greens (WA) Energy policy for details)
  • end the development of coal-seam, shale2 or tight3 gas-field industries in WA, given the profound risks to our water, land, communities, tourism and agricultural industries, and to our climate


Transport (see also The Greens (WA) Transport policy)
As transport accounts for about 18% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, priority should be given to expansion and improvement of the public transport, facilitating electric vehicle (EV) uptake, enhancing cycling and pedestrian opportunities and moving freight from road to rail. Details for accomplishing this are given in The Greens (WA) Transport policy.


Adaptation

  • Develop more effective plans to adapt to the impacts of climate change, encompassing WA government, local government and the private sector
  • Revise building codes and infrastructure development standards based on climate change onset scenarios

Land use 

  • support the revegetation of marginal / degraded agricultural land with suitable local species, with the aim of drawing down carbon as well as improving ecological health (See also the Greens (WA) Agriculture policy)
  • fund projects which aim to restore ecological connectivity and biodiverse green corridors across the landscape
  • assess climate change implications for agriculture and develop strategies to support farmers to adapt to a rapidly changing climate
  • support the expansion of forests, woodlands and types of ecologically beneficial plantations so as to maximise photosynthetic carbon sequestration1 (see also The Greens (WA) Forests & Woodlands and Plantations and Farm Forestry policies)
  • limit grazing of arid/semi-arid lands by cattle, sheep and introduced feral animals to allow regrowth of natural vegetation
     

(See also the Australian Greens Climate Change and Energy policy)

Footnotes

  1. The process of photosynthesis in plants and micro-organisms converts atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic compounds. The carbon therein may be stored over the longer term, as in trees or soil organic matter for example, or returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide or methane when the organic material decays.
  2. Shale gas - natural gas that is trapped within shale foundations.
  3. Tight gas - natural gas produced from rocks with such low permeability that massive hydraulic fracturing is necessary to produce the well at economic rates.
     

Climate Change policy ratified by The Greens (WA) in 2024