[Greens-Media] Race to the bottom on renewable energy

[Queensland Greens Media]

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QUEENSLAND GREENS MEDIA RELEASE
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Monday 24 September 2007


RACE TO THE BOTTOM ON RENEWABLE ENERGY


The Greens today slammed Prime Minister Howard and the Queensland Labor 
government for their paltry commitments to renewable energy targets.

“John Howard’s 15% target by 2020 and Queensland Labor’s 10% target by 
2020 are both too little, too late,” said Australian Greens Senate 
candidate for Queensland, Larissa Waters.

“And they both cheat by including non-renewable energy sources (the 
unproven ‘clean coal’), so the proportion of genuine renewable energy 
generated could be much less.

“Neither federal Liberal or state Labor’s target will be sufficient to 
drive the switch to clean energy so desperately needed if we are to 
combat climate change and protect our tourism and farming sectors.

“The Greens targets, which are informed by science, are 15% by 2012 and 
25% by 2020, comprised of genuine renewable energy sources only. This is 
the sort of boost to clean, renewable energy that we need to see if we 
are to tackle climate change.

“Australia, and Queensland in particular with its abundant sunshine, 
could once again be world leaders in solar energy technology as we were 
before John Howard came to power.

“Other renewable energy sources like geothermal, wind, wave, tidal and 
biofuels are also very promising for Queensland jobs and profits.

“We know all these renewable technologies work. Yet both Labor and 
Liberal are spending the lion’s share of public funds on unproven, 
non-renewable ‘clean coal’, and allowing it to be counted towards a 
clean energy target before we even know if it will work.

“It’s cheating to include a non-renewable energy source in a renewable 
energy target then just change the label to call it a ‘clean energy 
target’. It will continue to undermine genuine renewable energy 
technologies by entrenching the lack of level playing field in the market.

“Labor and Liberal still refuse to see how profitable renewable energy 
could be for Australia, and how many jobs with a long term future it 
could generate.

“For a profitable and clean energy future which will protect our Great 
Barrier Reef and help our farmers by addressing climate change, 
Queenslanders must vote Green,” concluded Ms Waters.


For more information:

Larissa Waters
Australian Greens Lead Senate Candidate for Queensland
0421 844 280