Sydney 30 October 2007: Greenpeace today welcomed the ALP’s commitment to increase Australia’s renewable energy target to 20% by 2020 as a real boost to Australia’s renewable energy industries as a first step to greater future commitments.
The ALP’s target will deliver at least 15,000 GWh more renewable energy than the Coalition’s clean energy target; equivalent to enough additional renewable energy to supply two million Australian households .
„This target, if introduced, will lead to strong growth in Australia’s renewable energy industry and help make up for lost time,” said Greenpeace head of campaigns Steve Campbell.
„Importantly, the target should be adequate to support further manufacturing jobs in Australia and will help reverse the trend of renewable energy companies leaving Australia for greener pastures.
„Unlike the Coalition’s clean energy target, the ALP’s MRET represents an increase on already existing state targets and excludes so called ’clean coal’ technologies, which are neither clean nor renewable.
„Australia needs a strong renewable energy target to provide alternatives to new coal-fired power stations and ultimately to replace existing coal-fired power stations. Only by reducing our use of coal will we reduce our greenhouse pollution.
„Although the ALP’s target will increase the share of renewable power we will need to go much further in order to avoid dangerous climate change. This means bolder renewable targets in the future so we can slash our
greenhouse emissions. If we simply have a renewables sector growing alongside an ever expanding coal sector, we will not stop climate change.”
Greenpeace will continue to call on all parties to increase the renewable energy target so that at least 25% of our electricity comes from renewable energy by 2020 and to cut Australia’s overall greenhouse emissions by 30% by 2020.
*For further information or comment: *
Kate Carroll, communications officer 0405 761 881
Steve Campbell, head of campaigns 0419 227 695
Mark Wakeham, energy campaigner 0409 542 753
