Local community climate groups back Greens carbon price

Media Release

Over 30 local community climate groups have thrown their support behind a fixed carbon price, supporting a statement that rejects the government and coalition policies and calls on the Parliament to back the Greens' plan.

The plan, also supported by Ross Garnaut, seeks to break the Senate deadlock on climate change by setting a interim $20 a tonne carbon price for the next two years. The Greens are currently negotiating with the government on the plan.

“The government's climate policy is in disarray and Abbott's fig leaf will do little to reduce global warming pollution”, Damien Lawson, Coordinator Victorian Climate Action Centre said today.

“While the Greens carbon price is only part of the solution, it is at least a start and unlike the CPRS will not lock in a low target. It also has a real chance of passing the Parliament.”

“Over the coming year we will be active in electorates around the country, informing the public of the problems with the government's and opposition policies.”

“We are sick of the Rudd and Abbott playing politics, we need to get on with the job of driving down carbon pollution.”

“The Greens have thrown the climate and the government a lifeline Kevin Rudd should grab hold with two hands.”

National and State wide environment groups – including Australian Conservation Foundation, Greenpeace, Environment Victoria, Nature Conservation Council of NSW and Friends of the Earth – have also welcomed the plan.

Community Climate Groups Statement

Neither Kevin Rudd nor Tony Abbott's policy can deliver a safe climate.

It is time for Plan B, starting with the Greens fixed carbon price.

Australia needs a new direction if we are to urgently tackle the climate crisis.

Labor's Carbon Pollution Reduction scheme is failed policy, it gives too much compensation to the big polluters and relies on overseas credits on the international carbon market to produce a reduction in emissions. It would lock in a high polluting economy.

The Coalition's policy is no better, it also hands out money to the big polluters and relies on techniques to increase soil carbon to produce most of its claimed carbon dioxide reductions. We need to increase the planet's capacity to absorb carbon and keep coal in the ground, not one or the other.

While a carbon price is only a small part of driving the necessary transformation to a
zero-carbon economy, the Greens plan to set a two year carbon price could get the ball rolling on real carbon reductions in Australia.

We call on all parties in the Parliament to back the Greens proposal and get moving on a transition to a safe climate.

Supporting groups

South West Environment Centre, WA
ParraCAN (Parramatta Climate Action Network), NSW
Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle, NSW
Climate Action Newtown, NSW
Locals into Victoria's Environment (LIVE), VIC
Climate Action Canberra, ACT
Portland Sustainability Group, VIC
Sustainability in Stonnington, VIC
Victorian Climate Action Centre, VIC
Emerald for Sustainability (EmFSus), VIC
Yarra Climate Action Now, VIC
Brimbank Climate Action Network, VIC
BREAZE (Ballarat Renewable Energy & Zero Emissions), VIC
Ararat Greenhouse Action Group Inc, VIC
Inner Northwest Climate Change Community, VIC
Yarra Valley Climate Action Group, VIC
Climate Emergency Network, VIC
Darebin Climate Action Network, VIC
HEWI (Healesville Environment Watch Inc.), VIC
C4 (Communities Combating Climate Crisis) Healesville, VIC
Greenleap Strategic Institute, VIC
Beyond Zero Emissions, VIC
Climate Action Bunbury, WA
Wodonga & Albury Towards Climate Health (WATCH), VIC, NSW
Sutherland Climate Action Network, NSW
SEE-Change, ACT
West Ryde Climate Action Group - 450ppm, NSW
Bayside Climate Change Action Group, VIC
"Climate Change: Our Future" (Glen Eira &
Monash), VIC