NEG TARGET FAILS VICTORIANS: Future of renewables jobs and investment hangs in the balance

The Turnbull government needs to finally lift its game on climate change if the National Energy Guarantee is going to achieve anything but a stagnating renewables industry, Environment Victoria said today.

Today’s COAG meeting delayed a decision on the mechanism of the Guarantee, and has turned the focus on to the Turnbull government’s weak pollution reduction target, as well as their restrictive process for setting future targets.

“The Turnbull government’s proposed National Energy Guarantee pollution reduction target is a disaster for renewables investment and would leave the future of Victorian clean energy on a knife edge,” said Environment Victoria Campaigns Manager, Dr Nicholas Aberle.

“The current do-nothing pollution reduction target would see investment in cheap, clean energy stall. This threatens the incredible progress we have already made here in Victoria and misses the opportunity to cut both climate pollution and power prices.

“The mechanism of the NEG could be a workable policy, but without a stronger federal target, billions of dollars worth of wind and solar projects, along with thousands of jobs, are at risk in Victoria alone. The states would suffer due to federal failure.

“Almost every stakeholder has been calling for more flexibility in setting future targets for renewable energy. Malcolm Turnbull and Josh Frydenberg need to acknowledge that locking in weak, inadequate targets would be a disaster for Australia’s energy system. They must stand up to the hard-right members of their party room.

“Once again, the sticking point in Australian climate and energy policy comes down to whether the Federal Coalition intends to do anything about global warming, except they’re now also trying to prevent others from tackling global warming in the future. This must stop.

“If this completely ineffectual target goes ahead, it will only be policies like the Victorian Renewable Energy Target that will ensure continued investment in Victoria’s booming renewable energy industry. We cannot allow ourselves to rely on the National Energy Guarantee as it stands.

“This November, Victorian voters must be made aware that with the Victorian Coalition vowing to scrap Victoria’s state renewable energy policies, our clean energy industry and over 9,000 Victorian jobs could be left at the mercy of weak NEG targets,” said Dr Aberle.