[Greens-Media] Chaney half right on emissions targets

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Chaney half right on emissions targets

Senator Christine Milne said today:

"Michael Chaney is absolutely right, of course, that targets for
reducing greenhouse emissions should not be plucked out of the air.
Where he falls down, sadly, is in failing to recognise that they must be
based on what is scientifically necessary to minimise the risk of
runaway climate change not on what the Business Council is prepared to
accommodate.

"The first step is to decide what degree of global warming is
unacceptable and determine what level of level of carbon in the
atmosphere will constrain temperature to that level. The target of
reducing emissions to 60% below 1990 levels by 2050 was set by the
British government to try to constrain temperature rise to below 2
degrees. This is now regarded as inadequate to avoid reaching the
tipping point for runaway climate change.

"Sadly the Coalition and the Labor party have both voted down a Greens
proposal to underpin all policy with a commitment to set a target that
keeps temperature to 2 degrees or less, namely 30% below 1990 levels by
2020 and 80% by 2050.

"Mr Chaney, the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition must reveal
the amount of climate change that they are prepared to accept. If they
accept the scientific advice that 2 degrees is the outer limit, they
must set and accept targets that will minimise the risk of passing that
limit. If they continue to duck these difficult questions, they must say
so now so that future generations will know that these men thought them
less important than today's coal profits."

Tim Hollo
Media and Communications Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
Phone: + 61 3 6224 8899 (Hobart)
Phone: + 61 2 6277 3063 (Canberra)
Mobile: + 61 437 587 562
Email: tim.hollo at aph.gov.au
Skype: timhollo
Website: www.christinemilne.org.au