Climate & Social Justice

Climate politics vs climate action

Greens MPs - December 19, 2008 - 4:02pm

This was published today at ABC Unleashed

The release on Monday of the Rudd Government's climate change white paper is a clear demonstration that this Government is intent on playing politics with climate change without actually doing anything about it. Read more »

Rudd raises white flag of surrender on climate change

Greens MPs - December 15, 2008 - 2:22pm

Greens campaign for 40% target

The Australian Greens will campaign for a 40 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 to save the planet from catastrophic climate change.

"Prime Minister Rudd's 5% target is a global embarrassment and a recipe for global catastrophe," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"The Rudd target of 5 per cent will anger voters. It is exactly where John Howard would have placed Australia in 2009 - a spoiler as the Copenhagen conference on climate change reaches for a much higher goal. Read more »

Fuel Watch debate

Greens MPs - November 12, 2008 - 6:23pm

Senator MILNE (Tasmania) (10.50 am)-I rise today to comment on the National Fuelwatch (Empowering Consumers) Bill 2008 and the National Fuelwatch (Empowering Consumers) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008, which concern the Fuelwatch scheme. I note that the basis on which Fuelwatch was proposed was increased petrol prices in Australia. For the 20 years that I have been in politics, every time fuel prices go up governments rush around and announce yet another inquiry into fuel prices, and that inquiry comes out with a whole range of recommendations and very little ever happens. Read more »

Kicking the renewables sector while it's down: 20% undermined, no certainty for solar

Greens MPs - December 17, 2008 - 12:56pm

Just two days after delivering its 'big polluters' bail-out package', the Rudd Government has announced a deeply flawed renewable energy target that breaches its election promise and will entrench sector's boom and bust cycles, the Australian Greens said today.

"After giving big polluters everything they asked for in Monday's white paper, today the Rudd Government is kicking the renewable energy sector while it's down," Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Climate Change Spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, said. Read more »

Business-as-usual cannot trump the laws of science on climate change

Greens MPs - December 14, 2008 - 1:39pm

The Australian Greens today warned the Rudd Government that its emissions trading scheme must be based on science.

"Prime Minister Rudd must recognise that he cannot negotiate with the laws of physics and chemistry. Speeding up already announced renewable energy funding will not compensate for weak targets," Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Climate Change Spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, said. Read more »

Australia should open door for climate refugees

Greens MPs - November 12, 2008 - 1:01pm

Australia should recognise climate change refugees as a legitimate category of humanitarian refugee, according to Australian Greens Leader Senator Brown.

"Without changing the number of refugees accepted into Australia, a simple broadening of the definition of humanitarian refugee, can hold the door open for refugees from low-lying countries affected by rising sea-levels." Read more »