The Greens today slammed Prime Minister Howard and the Queensland Labor government for their paltry commitments to renewable energy targets.
“John Howard’s 15% target by 2020 and Queensland Labor’s 10% target by 2020 are both too little, too late,” said Australian Greens Senate candidate for Queensland, Larissa Waters.
“And they both cheat by including non-renewable energy sources (the unproven ‘clean coal’), so the proportion of genuine renewable energy generated could be much less.
“Neither federal Liberal or state Labor’s target will be sufficient to drive the switch to clean energy so desperately needed if we are to combat climate change and protect our tourism and farming sectors.
“The Greens targets, which are informed by science, are 15% by 2012 and 25% by 2020, comprised of genuine renewable energy sources only. This is the sort of boost to clean, renewable energy that we need to see if we are to tackle climate change.
“Australia, and Queensland in particular with its abundant sunshine, could once again be world leaders in solar energy technology as we were before John Howard came to power.
“Other renewable energy sources like geothermal, wind, wave, tidal and biofuels are also very promising for Queensland jobs and profits.
“We know all these renewable technologies work. Yet both Labor and Liberal are spending the lion’s share of public funds on unproven, non-renewable ‘clean coal’, and allowing it to be counted towards a clean energy target before we even know if it will work.
“It’s cheating to include a non-renewable energy source in a renewable energy target then just change the label to call it a ‘clean energy target’. It will continue to undermine genuine renewable energy technologies by entrenching the lack of level playing field in the market.
“Labor and Liberal still refuse to see how profitable renewable energy could be for Australia, and how many jobs with a long term future it could generate.
“For a profitable and clean energy future which will protect our Great Barrier Reef and help our farmers by addressing climate change, Queenslanders must vote Green,” concluded Ms Waters.
For more information contact:
Larissa Waters
0421 844 280
larissa.waters|AT|qld.greens.org.au
For biographical information see: www.larissawaters.net
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