[Greens-Media] Media Release: A sustainable energy policy is the key to tackling climate change say the Greens

[Greens Victoria Media]

Media Release: for immediate use
Wednesday September 27, 2006
Contact: Louis Delacretaz on (mob) 0407 300 188

A sustainable energy policy is the key to tackling climate change say 
the Greens

Victoria needs to act now to deal with climate change, and tackling the 
state's energy problems is where we can make a start. This is the key 
message in the Greens Energy policy, released today.

"Climate change demands we fix our energy sources and deal with 
inefficient energy use," said Louis Delacretaz, Greens Energy 
spokesperson. "It's time to switch from old, polluting energy to new, 
clean energy for the well being of our kids -  and for Victoria’s long 
term prosperity."

"The Greens have a plan to get Victorians working on effective climate 
change solutions," said Louis Delacretaz. "Our energy policy is a key 
plank."

The Greens in state parliament after November 25 will work to:
- reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2015
- retrofit Loy Yang A&B and decommission Hazlewood power stations by 2015
- phase out the use of brown coal, using a combination of energy 
efficiency, fuel switching and renewable energy, to
   achieve a long term reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of 80 per 
cent by 2050
- introduce a carbon levy ($6 per tonne) to fund energy efficiency, 
production efficiencies and renewable energy,
- establish an Energy Efficiency Adjustment Fund, to assist industrial 
and commercial consumers reduce their energy
   consumption,
- support the production of biomass based fuels like ethanol, biodiesel, 
biogas and other renewables,
- support independent fuel distributors and build markets for alternate 
fuels, including biodiesel,
- introduce incentives to assist retrofitting of properties to meet new 
greenhouse gas reduction requirements and
   support the formation of energy service businesses,
- encourage rail freight & public transport, cycling and walking as 
alternatives to car and road transport dependency.

"We need to act now because per capita, Victoria is among the world's 
worst greenhouse gases generators," said Louis Delacretaz. "Because of 
our reliance on brown coal and old power plants, the electricity 
industry is responsible for around half of Victoria’s greenhouse gas 
emissions."

"There's no future in dirty brown coal," said Louis Delacretaz. "That's 
why the Greens in parliament will work to build renewable energy and 
fuel sources - and stop the fuel from coal project in the Latrobe 
Valley. Decommissioning Hazelwood will also save us 31 gigalitres of 
water each year."

For more information and comment please contact:
Louis Delacretaz on (mob) 0407 300 188
or
Dave Lane on (mob) 0419 156 213

Background:
The Greens Energy policy is attached.
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