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Climate Change & the Zero Carbon World

Climate Change

Climate change has been a top priority for the Greens for many years and the party has a comprehensive policy platform that would see Australia take the only globally responsible course of action and start rebuilding our society and economy around the exciting vision of a zero emissions world.

While governments and industry are tinkering around the edges and talking about small, incremental action to reduce emissions, our climate is changing faster than most scientists had predicted and greenhouse emissions are increasing faster than the IPCC's worst scenarios. If the globe warms more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels the impacts will be too severe and the risks of runaway climate change too great. We only have a few years to turn around global emissions or 2°C warming will be locked in.

The Greens are the only political party in Australia to recognise that the time for incremental action is long past and we now need transformative policies to turn Australia from one of the world's worst polluters into a zero emissions economy of the future. Urgent action must start now. The Greens recognise that, if we get that action right, rolling out energy efficiency upgrades and switching to renewable energy, moving to fuel efficient and electric cars, with more car-pooling, redesigning our cities around mass transit hubs, cycleways and walking paths, and rethinking our agriculture and forestry, we can seize tremendous opportunities to make Australia a better, fairer, healthier and happier place to live.

No Surrender on Climate Change - Melbourne Rally

Greens TV | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Tuesday 6th January 2009, 12:16pm

Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens MLCs Sue Pennicuik, Colleen Hartland and Greg Barber and some of Victoria's newly-elected Greens Councillors protest over the federal government's weak 5% greenhouse target.

Kimberley compulsory land acquisition unacceptable: Greens

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Wednesday 24th December 2008, 11:07am

The Australian Greens today called on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to override a comment by Resources Minister Martin Ferguson that the Federal Government would support compulsory acquisition of land for LNG development in the Kimberley

"When making the Apology to Aboriginal Australians early this year, the Prime Minister said we should never repeat the mistakes of the past. His Government is about to do just that," said Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal Issues.

5% emission target is not enough

Petition | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Wednesday 17th December 2008, 2:54am

On Monday, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd raised the white flag of surrender on climate change when he announced an emissions reduction target for Australia of just 5% below 2000 levels (4% below 1990 levels).
On Tuesday, Australians gathered in capital cities to begin the community campaign to tell Kevin Rudd: ‘No surrender on climate change'.

Ord River irrigation expansion needs careful planning: Greens

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Tuesday 16th December 2008, 3:33pm

The Australian Greens today expressed their deep concern over expansion of the Ord River irrigation project in North Western Australia, following Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's announcement of funding under the Federal Government's infrastructure package.

"The Rudd Government need to stop and look at the bigger picture, before rushing into large-scale irrigation projects in Northern Australia," said Senator Rachel Siewert.

What do you think about the Government's 5% emission targets?

Binary poll | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Monday 15th December 2008, 3:18pm

No white flag of surrender on climate change

Feature | Spokesperson Bob Brown, Christine Milne, Rachel Siewert, Sarah Hanson-Young, Scott Ludlam
Friday 12th December 2008, 5:49pm
Climate Change Rally at Parliament House, Canberra

On Monday, Dec 15, the Government announced their 5% emission target, which is a global embarrassment and a recipe for global catastrophe.
Kevin Rudd has put the coal industry ahead of Australia's children and grandchildren. It will be much more expensive to rectify this historic mistake in the decades ahead.
Sign our petition against Rudd's 5% emission targets!

Write to the Government about Climate Change targets

Don't let your Government put up the white flag on Climate Change! 

Instead of a 5 to 15% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, Australia must start work building a zero emissions economy, with reductions of at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2020 on the way there. The best economies this century will be those based on environmental excellence.

The recognised minimum of 25% reduction by 2020 in greenhouse gas emissions has become, instead, a maximum for Rudd who is not disputing press speculation that he will set Australia's target as low as a 5-15% reduction.

Write to your Government, and make your voice heard! Tell them you don't want to see ineffective targets that will mean Australia puts up the white flag on Climate Change.

Greens condemn Barnett’s old school approach to Kimberley

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Thursday 11th December 2008, 2:03pm

The Australian Greens today called on Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett to press ahead with the ongoing strategic assessment process to find the best location for an industrial Hub in the Kimberley, saying that he should not approve any LNG developments in the region outside of the agreed process.

"Colin Barnett's attempt to return to the old days of trampling on Aboriginal rights and environmental heritage is inappropriate and out of step," said Senator Rachel Siewert.

Government sidelines Indigenous Rights in climate negotiations

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Wednesday 10th December 2008, 5:50pm

The Australian Greens today deplored the Australian Government's approach to Indigenous rights during climate change negotiations this week.

"Mr Rudd should be explaining to the Australian people how on one hand he has made an election promise to endorse the UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights, whilst on the other hand acting to cut out any practical application of those rights in the negotiations currently underway at the UN Climate Conference in Poznan," said Senator Rachel Siewert.

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