Finally, legislation on climate change

10.02.20 By
This content is more than 4 years old

THE CLIMATE COUNCIL welcomes Independent MP,  Zali Steggall’s Climate Change Bill 2020, which has been released today.

“It is great to finally see legislation on climate change. I congratulate Zali Steggall and the other independent MPs on their leadership in bringing this bill forward,” said Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie.

The bill will be introduced to the Federal parliament in March.

“This offers a great opportunity for the Federal Parliament to take a tangible, effective step to tackle climate change. The bushfire crisis showed us just how catastrophic climate change is for Australia and how desperately we need a breakthrough,” she said.

“But while the bill is a step in the right direction, it will need to be ratcheted up considerably over time,” said Ms McKenzie.

“The bill is more conservative than the climate change legislation we need right now. We must reach net-zero emissions well before 2040, 2050 is way too late,” she said.

“Political inaction has brought climate change to our door, making Australia’s extremes, catastrophically more extreme,” said Ms McKenzie.

“Australia just experienced unprecedented, devastating bushfires. We lost people, we lost property, we lost wildlife, we lost places that we cherish,” she said.

“The problem is clear: the continued burning of coal, oil, and gas is driving climate change. We need to move away from fossil fuels entirely within two decades at the latest. This legislation would be a good start.” said Ms McKenzie.

For more information please contact Senior Communications Advisor, Lisa Upton on 0438 972 260 or Communications Officer, Brianna Hudson on 0455 238 875.

The Climate Council is Australia’s leading community-funded climate change communications organisation. We provide authoritative, expert and evidence-based advice on climate change to journalists, policymakers, and the wider Australian community.

For further information, go to: climatecouncil.org.au
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