World's First Greenhouse Bill in Australia
9/2/99
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: World's First Greenhouse Bill
Source: Oz-Envirolink Mailing List at oz-envirolink@altnews.com.au#
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: September 2, 1999
Greens Senator Bob Brown introduced the world's first greenhouse bill
when he tabled the Convention on Climate Change Bill in the Senate
this morning. No other nation has such a special-purpose act to deal
with global warming.
"The way to provide certainty for the environment and industry on
greenhouse is to legislate. The government does not rely on
voluntary action to meet its trade commitments; the global
environment should get the same priority.
"Last year was the hottest in recorded history on Earth and, in
Australia at least, this year is breaking records for atmospheric
warming.
"There are dozens of projects with major greenhouse implications on
the drawing boards around the country. Queensland alone has planned
coal-fired power stations at Milmerran and Kogan Creek, and a shale
oil plant on the Great Barrier Reef, that will add 4.5% to
Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.
"This bill means these projects will be assessed for approval within
Australia's need to meet the agreed Kyoto target of 8% more gases by
2010, compared with 1990. We have already passed this limit and face
heavy international penalties in a decade if we don't meet our
target.
"In Tasmania and other states, logging old growth forests is adding
drastically to the problem. Plantations don't go even a fraction of
the way to compensate. Our bill will force a proper evaluation of
the importance of protecting old growth forests in limiting
greenhouse emissions.
"The Greens' Climate Change Bill puts the government's own targets
for reducing greenhouse gas emissions into law, provides a mechanism
for assessing individual proposals, and gives industry taskforces the
opportunity to work out their own plans for meeting greenhouse
targets. It sets up a Greenhouse Office to oversee the whole
process.
"The public will be able to comment on the Climate Change Bill
through the Senate's inquiry into global warming, due to report in
August 2000", said Senator Brown.
More information
Ben Oquist. 02 6277 3170, 0419 704 095
Greens Senator Bob Brown
Parliament House, Canberra 2600
Australia
+61 2 62773170 ph
+61 2 62773185 fx
www.tassie.net.au/bobbrown
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