The Australian Greens have called on the Government to follow the science and set 2035 targets at net-zero and stop approving new coal and gas mines, or risk losing our critical opportunity to prevent disastrous global heating.
Anything below net zero by 2035 condemns Australia to more than 2 degrees of warming, in breach of the Paris Agreement.
As stated by Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Larissa Waters:
"With the government planning their 2035 climate targets, it's vital that they listen to climate scientists, people in regional communities and our Pacific Island neighbours; and not take us backwards on climate.
"Climate Targets aren't just figures on a page. They're life or death events for people in our region and people in regional communities and all Australians who are suffering from natural disasters that are turbo charged by the climate crisis.
"We know the Government is thinking about what the targets should be for our country to do our bit globally to tackle the climate crisis and global warming. But thankfully, there's been plenty of thinking already done, and the answer is quite clear.
"The government just needs to listen to scientists, listen to bushfire survivors, listen to our Pacific neighbors, the unions and businesses who are all saying the same thing - Australia must settle on strong science based 2035 targets - and that means net zero.
"The first act of Labor after being re-elected was a tick off on Woodside's massive North West shelf gas project out to 2070. That is inconsistent with strong climate action, and just like Pacifica leaders, the bushfire survivors, and scientists, the Greens say we need strong science based targets that tackle climate pollution and keep us all safe.
"Australia has done too little for too long - and now science based targets that keep warming below 2 degrees requires a monumental effort of reaching net zero in the next ten years, not by 2050.
"We can see that states and territories are doing some good work already in this space, and if you put all of their contributions together, that would already see us reduce emissions by 71%, so regardless of what the Business Council or the Nationals say, anything less than that is going backwards. And a safe climate is a mandate on which this Government was elected. They said to the voters before the election, and what Australians want is strong climate action to keep us safe, to keep nature safe, and to keep our Pacific neighbors safe.
"It can be done and the economic modelling even shows that if the federal Government invests well and soon, a net zero climate target can even be a driver of economic growth, bringing with it cheaper, cleaner energy, new industries, lifelines for regional communities, more Australian manufacturing - as well as less suffering for Australia and our Pacific neighbours and fewer species sent to extinction."
