Stop Climate Change

Human activities like driving cars and burning coal to produce electricity are threatening our health, food supply and security. Greenhouse gas emissions are changing the climate in ways that will:

• massively increase the severity and frequency of droughts, storms, floods and life-threatening heat waves,

• raise the sea level and increase flooding and inundation,

• spread insect-borne diseases, and

• threaten the security of the food supply.

The good news is that alternatives do exist and, with a bit of common sense, we can rescue the future and create lots of quality jobs and a very healthy economy.

With small advances on current technologies like wind, solar, bio-electricity and energy efficiency, Queensland can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to safe levels without running up huge energy bills. In fact, if we do it the right way, more resources will be available for improving important social services like public education and health.

The real debate is how to get there. The major parties are pushing the myths that coal power can be clean and that nuclear energy can be safe. Both are dangerous distractions. They are risky, dangerous, expensive and limited.

The Greens believe that the real answers lie with breaking Queensland's addiction to coal and becoming world leaders in renewable energy, energy efficiency and public transport.

This is the year of climate change election. The Greens will be campaigning for:

1. no new coal:

   We oppose the development of new coal mines, handling facilities and power stations, and the expansion of existing mines and power station.

2. rejecting “safe nuclear power” and “clean coal”:

   They are too expensive, technically and economically risky, dangerous, have limited ability to reduce emissions and will take too long to implement.

3. creating quality jobs in Queensland:

   With the right policies, Queensland can secure tens of thousands of new manufacturing, maintenance and operations jobs in renewable energy and public transport. We support just transitions funding for communities affected by the run down of coal mining activities as existing mines play out.

4. real carbon pricing, not permits to pollute:

   We will work for cooperation between the states to impose polluter-pays onto power stations, heavy industry and transport.

5. targets with teeth:

   We support staged targets for the immediate and longer term future, with penalties and mandatory remedial actions where targets not achieved.

6. a sustainable electricity industry:

   We support changes to the structure and incentives of the Queensland energy industry to deliver reductions in greenhouse emissions by working with consumers to maximise efficiency. Queensland needs smart metering and accurate price signals to stem energy waste.