Debate commenced in the Senate today on the Greens 'Climate Trigger' Bill which would require climate impacts and carbon emissions to be assessed before large-scale projects are given environmental approval.
The Bill will now go to the Senate Environment and Communications Committee for consideration through public hearings and written submissions.
Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who introduced the Bill, said:
"The Climate Trigger Bill will ensure big projects like new coal mines, oil and gas drilling and large-scale land clearing are assess for the pollution they make before being given approval.
"Our climate is on the brink of collapse, as we continue to burn and mine coal, oil and gas, our ecosystem is crumbling
"To reach Net Zero Emissions by 2050 we need to act now. We need to put in place new environment laws that ensure major coal, oil & gas projects are assessed for their impact on climate change.
"There's no point committing to reducing pollution, while giving the green light to new polluting projects.
"These new laws are a common sense, reasonable step towards getting this country on the right track for dealing with climate change.
"The bill will now go to inquiry and it will be open to the community, organisations, experts and business to feed back their advice and make submissions on the proposed laws."
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2020, Explanatory Memorandum and Second Reading speech can be found here.
