Labor’s victory is the historic opportunity to quit coal in 2008
Canberra, 25 November 2007: Greenpeace today said that Labor’s victory represents a golden opportunity for the new government to take strong leadership on the key election issue of climate change, by quitting coal
and delivering the deep emission cuts required to avoid dangerous global warming.
Steve Campbell, head of campaigns, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: „Climate change was one of the key election issues and was central to the ALP’s winning campaign. Now Kevin Rudd has been elected, the nation wants and expects to see real action on climate change.”
„Greenpeace congratulates the new government and will work with them to ensure a clean energy future, free of coal powered electricity.” „John Howard could not be taken seriously on climate change because he
had always been a sceptic of climate science, refusing to sign the Kyoto Protocol, and putting the narrow interests of coal companies ahead of those of the Australian people.”
„While the climate change policies the ALP took to the election were significantly better than those of the Coalition, they are still nowhere near good enough. Emissions will continue to skyrocket unless Prime
Minister Rudd starts phasing out coal-fired power stations and replacing them with renewable energy.”
A week ago in Valencia, Spain, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its Fourth Assessment Synthesis report. The IPCC said „unequivocal” climate change was already occurring and warned human-made global warming could lead to abrupt or irreversible climate changes if we don’t act now to lower emissions. „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.”
„Quitting coal is the basis for meeting Australia’s global responsibilities to cut emissions and this will require visionary policies from the new government, early on in its first term.” „This election brings an historic opportunity to end coal-driven policy and it is crucial for Kevin Rudd to make sure his government is not
subject to the ’carbon capture’ that the Liberal Government suffered, as documented by former insider Guy Pearse.”
Contacts:
Steve Campbell, head of campaigns, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, 0419
227 695
Dan Cass, communications manager, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, 0408 468 488
