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To cut greenhouse gas emissions, we must close dirty coal-fired power plants like Munmorah in NSW (pictured).
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This was the election we had to have. Finally with volumes of scientific evidence on our side, grassroots action groups popping up left, right and centre, and the changing tide of public opinion swinging our way, the stars were aligned for a climate change election. This was an unprecedented campaign, where every party was forced to take a position on climate change. And in our two-party preferred system, Kevin Rudd with climate change policies significantly better than those of the Coalition, reaped the rewards.
While Labor got up big time, the climate change sceptics got the boot. And Howard, the most prominent sceptic of all, even lost his own seat. It’s clear Aussies care about climate change, and with the issue central to the ALP’s winning campaign, the nation will want and expect to see real action on the issue, and fast.
The Prime Minister-elect has committed to a renewable energy target of 20% by 2020 and has promised to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, a move that will change global climate politics and leave the US isolated. But the biggest challenge is yet to come – quitting coal in order to achieve the deep emissions cuts necessary to avoid dangerous climate change.
This election brings an historic opportunity to end coal-driven policy and it’s crucial ALP is not subject to the 'carbon capture' the Liberal Government suffered. Despite significantly better policies, emissions will continue to skyrocket under the ALP, unless Prime Minister Rudd starts phasing out coal-fired power stations and replacing them with renewable energy.
Ratifying Kyoto is a good first step. But the key indicator of the new Government’s success will be if emissions begin to decrease during this
term, and the only way that is possible is to rid Australia of our addiction to coal.
While Kevin 07 was about winning the election, Kevin 08 will have to be about winning the battle against climate change and this means quitting coal.
While Labor got up big time, the climate change sceptics got the boot. And Howard, the most prominent sceptic of all, even lost his own seat. It’s clear Aussies care about climate change, and with the issue central to the ALP’s winning campaign, the nation will want and expect to see real action on the issue, and fast.
Next steps for PM Rudd
The Prime Minister-elect has committed to a renewable energy target of 20% by 2020 and has promised to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, a move that will change global climate politics and leave the US isolated. But the biggest challenge is yet to come – quitting coal in order to achieve the deep emissions cuts necessary to avoid dangerous climate change.
This election brings an historic opportunity to end coal-driven policy and it’s crucial ALP is not subject to the 'carbon capture' the Liberal Government suffered. Despite significantly better policies, emissions will continue to skyrocket under the ALP, unless Prime Minister Rudd starts phasing out coal-fired power stations and replacing them with renewable energy.
Ratifying Kyoto is a good first step. But the key indicator of the new Government’s success will be if emissions begin to decrease during this
term, and the only way that is possible is to rid Australia of our addiction to coal.
While Kevin 07 was about winning the election, Kevin 08 will have to be about winning the battle against climate change and this means quitting coal.
