Environment Victoria has welcomed the state government’s announcement of another clean energy project for Victoria, the biggest wind farm in the Southern Hemisphere.
Executive Director Marcus Godinho said, “The Bracks Government’s new renewable energy scheme has been the lifeline clean energy businesses were desperately seeking, but there is still significant work to be done to tackle climate change.
“It must commit to reducing Victoria’s greenhouse pollution levels by 20% by 2020 if it’s fair dinkum about climate change.
“Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time, with the Premier linking it to bushfires, drought and less water in our rivers and dams in recent weeks.
“Green groups have made reducing global warming pollution by 20% by 2020 the number one priority for all political parties in the lead-up to the November state election,” Mr Godinho said.
“The test of any Government’s performance on climate change is whether greenhouse pollution levels are increasing or decreasing. Despite worthy programs, Victoria now produces 6 million tonnes each year more than when Labor came to power – the equivalent of putting 1 million cars on the road.”
“Australia should be leading the international climate change fight, not following other nations,” Mr Godinho said.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger this week said a major solar power project would yield $3.2 billion in incentives over the next ten years and introduced legislation to reduce greenhouse emissions 25% by 2020.
“Both the Macarthur wind farm and Victoria’s solar project are isolated projects. What is missing is sensible national targets for reducing our global warming pollution.”
“While the Federal Government talks about the importance of technology in combating climate change, what we really need is legislated renewable energy targets that make polluters pay for their pollution, otherwise the technology won’t be put in place.”
An alliance of development organisations, health groups, unions, environment groups are holding Walk Against Warming across Australia on Saturday November 4 to call on all governments to take real action on climate change. In Melbourne the Walk will start at the Melbourne Town Hall and finish at Birrarung Marr.