[Sandra Kanck]

Meanwhile, here in Australia, we’re going backwards – fast! The new conservative Federal Government led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott is promising to repeal the Clean Energy legislation (including the carbon tax) brought in by the previous Labor Government led by Julia Gillard. Their alternative measures – the Direct Action Plan – is likely to lead to an increase in emissions by 2020 on 2000 levels despite their promise to reduce emissions by at least 5 per cent. This week the independent Climate Change Authority (which Abbott wants to abolish as he did the Climate Commission) advised that the 5 per cent target was hopelessly inadequate if we hoped to stay within the 2 degree C. guardrail. It recommended either a 15 per cent or 25 per cent reduction target by 2020 but warned the 15 per cent one would require extraordinary effort in the years following 2020 to achieve a 40-50 per cent reduction by 2030. The lack of ambition by the new Government suggests denialism is alive and well – that the elected Members are scientifically illiterate.  And now the worst may happen – Labor may vote with the Coalition to repeal the very legislation that had been such a triumph. I’m generally proud to be Australian but I suspect we will be shamed by the international community at the COP19 meeting in Warsaw that starts within a couple of weeks. And we will deserve it. 
 
Jenny Goldie
National President
Sustainable Population Australia

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