With the news of the global financial crisis, the issue of climate change has almost disappeared from the media. Prime Minister Rudd's plans for dealing with the financial crisis made no mention of it. However, the necessity for action on climate change has not gone away, and the global economic turmoil does not preclude taking action. In fact, the Prime Minister's injection of $10.8 billion to fund infrastructure would have offered a golden opportunity to announce investment in renewable energy projects, sustainable agriculture and quality public transport. Instead, in the first significant news on climate change, a new report from ACF revealed that $3 billion could go to some of the richest companies in Australia in free carbon pollution permits when the Australian Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme commences in 2010 (Sydney Morning Herald 20.10.08). This is in contrast to Professor Ross Garnaut's strong recommendation that all permits should be auctioned, ensuring that big polluters take their obligations to reduce emissions seriously. It would also deliver to the Government much needed cash for investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions. Garnaut's clear conclusion was that free allocation of permits would lead to heavy lobbying and political interference. Top global economists from the United Nations Environment Program and Deutsche Bank have recently launched a plan for a "Green New Deal". This echoes President Roosevelt's "New Deal" to work America out of the Great Depression and aims to tackle the economic crisis and the climate crisis together. The plan would see a massive investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy, alternative transport and forest protection while creating high quality, permanent jobs in a thriving, prosperous, green economy. Send a message to the Prime Minister.
Regards from the Citizens Climate Campaign Committee |
Walk Against Warming - Sydney, 2007