By Celine Lai
The Climate Council & the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action blasted the Federal Government for inaction over not comprehensively addressing causes of climate impacts. On 7th March, the Climate Council released a statement that:
“The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change makes it crystal clear that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events including rainfall events like the recent flooding in Queensland.
Some politicians claim this flooding disaster was something no one could have predicted. The implication is that the heartbreak and loss being experienced by so many Australians right now is unavoidable.
The truth is, scientists have been warning us for decades that climate change will worsen all extreme weather in Australia.
It’s been almost 500 days since the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements handed its report to the Morrison Government. Since then only 5 of the top 10 recommendations from a total of 80 have been accepted by the Morrison Government.
The Commission acknowledged the role that climate change is playing in worsening disasters such as the Black Summer bushfires.
Some people are wilfully misleading the public about what (little) has been done to address the climate challenge. Time and again expert advice is offered but ignored.”
The Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) is a coalition of 37 former fire and emergency service chiefs from every fire service in Australia, a number of State Emergency Services, national parks and forestry agencies, and former Directors General of Emergency Management Australia. ELCA released the Australian Bushfire and Climate Action Plan in 2020. It has 165 recommendations, of which only a few have been accepted in principle by the Morrison government.
On March 14th, the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) took out a full page ad in the Courier Mail calling out the Federal Government for failing to heed the warnings from experts and adequately prepare our communities for worsening extreme weather, driven by climate change.
Advertisement by ELCA in the Courier Mail, Brisbane
The Climate Council reported on 9 March that:
Our Prime Minister stood in front of the people of Lismore, in front of the country’s media and spoke about ‘unprecedented natural disasters’ and a ‘national catastrophe’ but he completely failed to address the issue at the heart of this: climate change.
The fact is, the Liberal-National Party has an abysmal track record on climate change, from drastically slashing funding for climate science and dismantling the Climate Commission, to fronting up to the world stage at COP26 with the worst emissions reduction target for 2030 of all major developed nations. Not to mention greenlighting coal and gas at an alarming rate.
“There’s been no meaningful climate action in eight years. This is a resounding failure. It’s not good enough, the next Parliament must work harder to see emissions plummet this decade.
“Incredibly, today of all days, Angus Taylor said he wants to accelerate oil and gas, two of the major drivers of climate change and escalating disasters.
The Government needs to be honest with Australians. What we have is a ‘let it rip’ climate strategy and it’s taking a terrible toll on our communities.”
This has to end. The Federal election this year provides an opportunity to bring in a government which will support “green” policies, including ceasing subsidizing of fossil fuel industries, dis-allowing new coal, oil and gas projects, and accelerating renewable energy infrastructure and systems.
What you and others can do.
- Raise awareness of the situation and what is needed.
- Volunteer for 350 Borloo Perth by clicking here.
- Financially support 350 Australia by clicking here.
- Check out 350 Australia’s resources and share and implement them.