Greens give notice of climate change act in both Houses of NSW Parliament
24 August 2023 - In both Houses of NSW Parliament today, the Greens will give notice of a bill for a Climate Change Act that will legislate a 2035 net zero target and establish a Net Zero Commission to guide and monitor the State’s progress toward the target. The move comes after it was revealed this week that a review commissioned by the NSW Government and prepared by former Energy Retailers Association CEO Cameron O’Reilly recommended the lifetime of Eraring Power Station be extended. This follows months of global temperatures breaching records across the globe and extreme weather events decimating the Northern Hemisphere.
Greens MP and spokesperson for climate change Sue Higginson said: “It is unequivocal that we must take rapid, urgent action to decarbonise and achieve a net zero target. The science says this must be achieved by 2040 at the absolute latest, with a better target of 2035. Extending the life of polluting infrastructure like Eraring is incompatible with achieving this target.
“A Climate Change Act will create a legal requirement for NSW to move toward the only net zero target that will ensure we keep our planet liveable. The need for urgent and radical action on climate has been emphasised more than ever in recent weeks but we are yet to see this being taken by the Government here in NSW. This action is non-negotiable.
“What we have seen in recent months in Europe, Hawaii, North Africa, South Asia and Antartica is frightening, we must do everything we can to move rapidly toward a net zero target. Prolonging the life of our coal fired power stations, subsidised by the people of NSW to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, is exactly what we shouldn’t do.
“The Greens have introduced these bills in both Houses of Parliament because we need to get on with the job and we need to get it right. It’s an urgent matter, we can’t and we won’t wait for this Government.” Ms Higginson said.
Greens member for Balmain Kobi Shetty, who gave notice of the bill in the Lower House said: “The people of NSW are desperate to see the government take decisive action to tackle the climate crisis, and yet we have seen very little happening over the last 5 months. Fires are burning across the globe and people in NSW are fearful of the summer season ahead of us.
“The climate crisis is here. It is time decisions are made in the interests of people and the planet, and not fossil fuel corporations. The NSW government is failing to do what’s needed to ensure we move rapidly toward a net zero target. We have called on the Government to bring in the legislation it committed to during the election campaign as a matter of priority, but we have not seen that happen.
“The Greens are committed to doing everything we can to ensure a safe climate for the future.” Ms Shetty said.