The Federal Government's new carbon credits method for 'protecting' native forests will allow fossil fuel companies to greenwash their climate pollution and expand coal and gas production, according to the Australia Institute.
A new carbon accounting method, proposed to fund the creation of the Great Koala National Park in NSW, pits forest and biodiversity protection against acting on climate change, when those objectives are inseparable.
"Climate science makes clear that the Australian Government needs to stop approving new gas and coal projects while simultaneously stopping the destruction of enormous amounts of our native forests," said Dr Richard Denniss, co-CEO of The Australia Institute.
"The science doesn't say that it is okay for us to approve new gas and coal mines, as long as we save some trees at the same time. However, under this Great Koala National Park offsets scheme, that is exactly what is being proposed."
Australia Institute research has shown that:
- Half of Australians (48%) agree that so-called carbon offsets are greenwash.
- Three in five Australians (62%) agree that so-called carbon offsets help polluters look like they are reducing emissions even when they aren't.
- Three in five Australians (61%) say that stopping new gas and coal projects is an effective way to reduce emissions.
"It is simply climate denial to pretend that saving a forest can 'offset' the harm of approving a new gas or coal mine and expanding fossil fuel pollution," Dr Denniss said.
"Australia institute research has shown there is no shortage of offsets boondoggles in Australia, but there is a shortage of the bravery required to confront the fossil fuel industry and their friends in the carbon offset industry. It is obscene to suggest that the only way we can save native forests is to allow the fossil fuel industry to use those forests to greenwash their growing emissions."
"Australians want our governments to protect native forests, but not as a trade-off for big polluters to keep polluting," said Jenny Weber, Campaigns Director at the Bob Brown Foundation.
"The radical proposal to generate offsets from public native forests for fossil fuel emissions fails the climate and fails nature."
