Rudd’s climate challenge

Steve Campbell, Greenpeace head of campaigns said: “With climate change playing a huge role in the federal election, this is the great first step Australia must take in repairing the legacy of 11 years of climate inaction and undermining of Kyoto by former Prime Minister John Howard.

“The priority the newly elected Rudd Government has given to climate change illustrates the need to respond to community concern on this issue. But what Australians really want to see from Mr Rudd are real cuts in greenhouse emissions.

“Australians would be surprised to know that the sweetheart deal PM Howard's government negotiated in Kyoto means that our emissions are actually allowed to increase to 108% over 1990 levels. During his first term, Kevin Rudd must now get serious about cutting Australia’s greenhouse emissions, which means confronting our addiction to coal.”

Existing ALP climate policies will see Australia’s total emissions increase to 15% over 1990 levels by 2020. Yet the UNFCCC has stated that to keep global warming from topping the danger threshold of a 20C increase, it is necessary for developed countries to achieve emissions reductions of up to 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020 . To contribute to this, Australia’s emissions must peak by 2010, then decline rapidly in the next decade.

“Internationally, the Rudd Government must position Australia as a leader on climate change rather than a global pariah. Australia can now start playing a proactive role in shaping a global response to the greatest challenge of our time. This means calling a halt to all proposed expansions and developments of Australia’s coal exports and coal-fired power generation.”