Monday, 15 December 2008
A coalition of over 50 Australian environment and community groups have united today to condemn the Rudd Government’s announcement of an ineffectual 5-15 percent greenhouse reduction target.
The undersigned groups have issued this joint statement:
The announcement of an interim emission reduction target of only 5-15 percent represents a total failure of climate policy and shows that the Rudd Government has caved in to pressure from the big polluters.
This decision is simply unacceptable.
If adopted globally, this target would guarantee the loss of the Great Barrier Reef and the Kakadu wetlands, and would steer the earth on a path towards catastrophic climate change. This decision represents a failure of the Federal Government to act on the climate science, a failure to act in the public interest, and a failure of international diplomacy.
This decision will send a signal to the world that Australia is reneging on the agreed Bali range of 25-40 percent for developed countries and will make a strong global agreement all the more difficult to achieve.
We urge the Australian Parliament, the media, and all sections of the community to ensure that this weak target is not allowed to stand, and to make sure that 2009 is the year that Australia begins to show real leadership on climate change in the lead up to the international negotiations in Copenhagen.
Signed:
- Steve Shallhorn, Executive Director, Greenpeace Australia Pacific
- Greg Bourne, Executive Director, World Wide Fund for Nature
- Nina Hall, Executive Director (Acting), Climate Action Network Australia
- Jeff Angel, Executive Director, Total Environment Centre
- Simon Sheikh, National Director, GetUp!
- Virginia Young, The Wilderness Society
- Cam Walker, Coordinator, Friends of the Earth Australia
- Anna Rose, Co-Director, Australian Youth Climate Coalition
- Georgina Woods, Rising Tide
- Cate Faehrmann, Executive Director, Nature Conservation Council of NSW
- Piers Verstegen, Director, Conservation Council of Western Australia
- Toby Hutcheon, Executive Director, Queensland Conservation Council
- Julie Pettett, Chief Executive Officer, Conservation Council of South Australia
- Kelly O’Shanessy, Executive Director, Environment Victoria
- Dr Elaine K. Harding, Coordinator, Cairns and Far North Environment Centre
- Emma King, Coordinator (Acting), Environment Centre of the NT
- Andrew Cox, Executive Officer, National Parks Association of NSW
- Margaret Steadman, Executive Officer, Tasmanian Environment Centre Inc
- Carol Ride, Convenor, Climate Emergency Network
- Sue Mathews, Trustee, The Mullum Trust
- Phil Glendenning, Director, Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education
- Mary Tinney, Coordinator, Sisters of Mercy Earth Link
- Sr Geraldine Kearney, Delegate for Social Responsibility, Sisters of the Good Samaritan
- Jill Finnane, Coordinator, Pacific Calling Partnership
- Thea Ormerod, President, Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
- Keely Boom, Director, Australian Climate Justice Project
- Teresa Capetola, Climate Change and public health research cluster, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University
- Julien Lacave, Projects Manager, Australia and New Zealand Solar Energy Society
- Paul Murfitt, Chief Executive Officer, Moreland Energy Foundation Limited
- Tessa Dowdell, Climate Convenor, Australian Student Environment Network
- Janet Cavenagh, Clarence Branch of Climate Change Australia
- Jacquie Svenson, Convenor, Climate Action Coogee
- Lizette Salmon, WATCH, Wodonga & Albury Towards Climate Health (WATCH)
- Annie Nielsen, Executive Member, Parramatta Climate Action Network
- Bev Smiles, Central West Environment Council
- Bob Phillips, President, Lake Macquarie Climate Action
- Bradley Smith, University if Queensland Climate for Change
- Jim Morrison, President, North Coast Environment Council
- Carmel Flint, Co-ordinator, North East Forest Alliance
- Carolyn Ingvarson, Convenor, Lighter Footprints Climate Change Action Group
- Robin Knox, Project Manager, COOLmob
- Dr Gabe Lomas, Association for Berowra Creek
- Geoff Walker, Save Happy Valley Coalition Aotearoa
- Janet Klein, Secretary, Adelaide Hills Climate Action Group
- Tony Gleeson, Alstonville High School Community Sustainability Advisory Committee
- Vanessa Morris, Executive Officer, SEE-Change
- Shakti Burke, Kyogle Climate Action Network
- Sheila Monahan, Convenor, South East Region Conservation Alliance
- Sue Fielder, Ballina Climate Action Network
- Tony Gleeson, Broadwater Community Dunecare
- Sue Lewis, President, Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle.
- Ben Henley and Vicki Brooke, Co-Convenors, Climate Action Newcastle
- Erland Howden, Hills Against Global Warming
- Roger Pye, President, Canberra Environment and Sustainability Resource Centre
- Penelope Milstein, Sustainability in Stonnington Incorporated
- Carol Ride, Convenor, Darebin Climate Action Now
- Cath James, Justice & International Mission, Uniting Church of Australia
- Deborah Hart, Locals Into Victoria’s Environment (LIVE)
- Dr Mark Diesendorf, Deputy Director, Institute of Environmental Studies, UNSW