Citizens Climate Campaign - Campaign Diary - Garnaut and the Need for Grass-Roots Input

Campaign Diary

Citizens Climate Campaign

Garnaut
and the Need for
Grass-Roots Input

email: climatez@climatecampaign.info
website: www.climatecampaign.info

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Following a Senate Estimates hearing on Friday 22 February, when Climate Change Minister Penny Wong was questioned at length by Senators Christine Milne and Bob Brown, it became clear that the Government has no scientific basis for its 60% by 2050 emissions reduction target.

It's fortunate that Minister Wong is a senator, so that the Greens Party senators can ask her the hard questions on climate change that are less likely to come from the Opposition in the House of Representatives.

Now it appears that Professor Ross Garnaut's review, which states that emissions cuts of 70% to 90% could be needed to prevent dangerous levels of climate change, is at risk of being side-lined.

Senator Wong is already down-playing its importance, and talking of the need for 'other inputs', as yet unidentified. Guy Pearse, author of High and Dry, warned that Labor would be lobbied furiously by the Greenhouse Mafia. Will they be the source of the 'other inputs'?

The Review is taking public comments. Climate group Rising Tide has created an online submission highlighting 11 urgent responses Australia needs to make to address climate change.

Politically, it will strengthen Professor Garnaut's position to have strong grass-roots 'input', so even though all these submissions will be similar, we think it is worth the small effort of signing and sending one.
You might like to check it out on the Rising Tide Australia's website.

General Submissions to the Garnaut Climate Change Review close April 11.

In the light of the recent decision by the Tasmanian Government to hand over Tasmanian forests to the Gunns pulp mill for the next 20 years, you might also like to join with GetUp! in petitioning Professor Garnaut to examine the full climate impact of this mill.

Currently there is a risk that the Review won't include a comprehensive assessment of native forests in spite of new research showing that stopping deforestation massively reduces carbon emissions.

Regards from the Citizens Climate Campaign Committee