Greens offer climate change vision for NSW
In the lead-up to tonight’s Clean Energy for Eternity’s candidate forum on climate change in Bermagui, Greens candidate for Eden-Monaro, Catherine Moore has challenged the other major parties to outline their plans for reducing NSW’s and Australia’s climate change burden.
“Despite the ALP and Coalition trying to claim that a 5% cut to emissions somehow represents adequate action on this pressing issue, it is only The Greens who have a clear long-term vision, which would start immediately, to change the energy mix in NSW and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Catherine.
At the statewide launch of the Greens NSW election campaign today, Senate candidate Lee Rhiannon outlined a clear plan for action on climate change that she will take to Canberra if she is elected as the next Greens Senator for NSW.
“NSW needs a clear direction on how to start cutting the state’s greenhouse emissions while creating new, sustainable jobs, and that’s another reason we need more Greens in the Senate,” said Catherine.
“Government plans to reduce NSW greenhouse pollution, which makes up 27 per cent of the nation’s carbon emissions, are weak and ineffective.
“The Greens are proposing not to subsidise large polluters with $12 billion worth of tax-payer funded carbon permits, as was proposed with the ETS, but to make polluters pay with a carbon tax. We can have public investment in renewable energy, electricity grid upgrades, energy efficiency and public transport.
“We need to invest in new ways to generate electricity, not prop up the business-as-usual, polluting ways.
“Any prospect of an Abbott-led Coalition government makes it more important than ever to send Lee Rhiannon to Canberra to stand up for climate action in NSW,” said Catherine.
Greens NSW Senate candidate Lee Rhiannon said:
“I will work hard as part of the Greens Senate team to improve government legislation so we can reduce greenhouse gas pollution in the energy, transport and forestry sectors and steer NSW to a low-carbon economy,” said Ms Rhiannon.
“According to science, we need to start making changes now to counter the negative effects of climate change, but NSW remains firmly in the grip of the powerful polluting coal industry.
“To achieve the transition to a low-carbon economy with new job opportunities in regional NSW we need to direct public investment in renewable energy, smart grids and energy efficiency, with a skills re-training program for coal and energy industry workers.
“In the Senate I would also campaign for federal funding to kick start projects to revitalise public transport and expand the freight rail network, which would drive down transport based greenhouse gas emissions,” said Ms Rhiannon.
For a commentary by Catherine Moore on why The Greens could not support the ETS, go to http://braidwood.nsw.greens.org.au/2010/08/06/why-the-greens-did-not-support-the-ets/#more-973
For more information contact Catherine Moore on 0411 288 057 or Gabi Harding 0458 244 111
