Queensland has the highest greenhouse emissions per person in Australia. We are also one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impacts of climate change. We have an absolute vested interest in reducing those impacts.
This will only happen if the Queensland Government takes the lead to give us a safe climate for the future.
The notion that coal-fired power stations of any type are part of our energy future is nonsense. All coal-fired energy generates huge greenhouse gas emissions.
Storing that CO2 underground, if appropriate geological formations can even be found, is not a solution it is an expensive, temporary band-aid.
Despite years of promotion and funding by the Queensland Government ‘clean coal' technologies are still decades away from viability.
What is needed is immediate action to reduce our current greenhouse gas emissions; not those we might be emitting a decade or two from now.
Logan and Albert Conservation Association LACA is a member group of Queensland Conservation which has identified five critical steps to effective greenhouse gas reductions.
These initiatives, coupled with a revised carbon policy by the Commonwealth could halve emissions by 2020.
Fast track the switch to renewables-introduce a Queensland solar (15%), wind (15%) and geothermal (10%) scheme for 2020
- Prioritise public and alternative transport by shifting transport budget funding away from roads on 2:1 basis (Energy and transport account for over 60% of emissions. Queensland emissions from these sectors have risen 89% since 1990-National Greenhouse Accounts 2006)
Reduce emissions from land clearing by strengthening tree clearing laws on endangered and vulnerable landscapes and offering incentives to stop regrowth clearing
- Build a green economy in Queensland by phasing out coal use and investing in renewables and green collar jobs
Environment groups, including QCC, proposed these essential initiatives in our document Plan B, An Agenda for Immediate Climate Action in June 2009. - You can read and /or download the document from the QCC website here.
- You can also view the Queensland Government's ClimateQ Strategy here