The PM will today announce a plan to reposition Australia's energy and emissions policy to scrap all renewable energy subsidies, abandon the Clean Energy Target (CET), and mandate the use of energy like coal and gas.
“Mandating coal and gas while abandoning renewables condemns our children's generation to a future of unchecked global warming,” Greenpeace Climate and Energy Campaigner, Nikola Casule, said.
“If this policy is adopted by the party room, nobody will take this PM seriously again.”
Greenpeace is calling on the PM to recognise the impossibility of achieving Australia’s promised national emissions reductions targets under the Paris Agreement under this new plan.
“We’ve had two sequential years of climate change-driven bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef and Queensland is in the grip of drought,” Casule said.
“But while Malcolm Turnbull knows Australia must move to reduce our emissions and combat climate change he is trying to appease the extreme elements in his party so he can keep his tenuous grip on power.
“This is a slap in the face to anyone who cares about Australia's future.
“What’s more, recent reports have shown that renewables make energy cheaper. The best thing to do if you want to bring down prices is get more renewables into the grid.” [1]
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
[1] http://www.solarcitizens.org.au/solar_savings
For interviews contact:
Simon Black
Greenpeace Senior Media Campaigner
0418 219 086 / simon.black@greenpeace.org