20 December 2006
Peter Garrett MP
Member for Kingsford Smith
Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Heritage
The Howard Government’s ‘annus horribilis’ on climate change was compounded today with the admission that Australia won’t meet its Kyoto target.
On numerous occasions, John Howard has said his government will meet the emissions target of 108 per cent of 1990 levels by 2008-2012, declaring in 2004 that “We will meet the Kyoto target set for Australia of 108 per cent, and we are well on track to do that.”
In fact, the government is skidding off the rails, as annual greenhouse projections reveal that Australia will miss its Kyoto target – despite strong actions by Labor Governments to control land clearing - with emissions increasing to 109 per cent by 2012.
This blow-out amounts to approximately 5.5 million tonnes of annual greenhouse emissions, the equivalent of about 23 days of total transport sector emissions (including civil aviation, roads and railways) or 1.4 million extra passenger cars on the roads in 2010.
Take out land clearing, and we’re seeing a 25 per cent emissions increase since 1990.
This broken commitment on Kyoto underscores a bleak 2006 for federal environmental policy, a year that also brought a tectonic shift in the global debate about climate change. The weight of scientific evidence has left the sceptics behind, showing the only rational approach to Australia’s environmental and economic future is immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
With 2006 bringing Australia’s hottest Spring ever recorded, and stationary energy and transport emissions expected to increase exponentially in the longer term, Australia’s economic and environmental infrastructure are at great risk.
After ten years of denial, all John Howard offers is a false debate about nuclear power. It’s all task forces and reports - not direct action.
Australians face a clear choice between John Howard’s delaying tactics and broken commitments and Labor’s climate change solutions.
Contact: Kate Pasterfield, 0439 852 118