[Greens-Media] Greens urge Mining Industry to wake up to threat of climate change

[Bout, Marie (Sen S. Ludlam)]

Friday 19 December 2008
Senator Scott Ludlam

Greens urge Mining Industry to wake up to threat of climate change


Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam urged the
Chamber of Minerals and Energy to wake up to the imminent effects of
climate change, and stop jeopardising the economic viability of their
industry, as well as our future, at a Public Hearing Joint Standing
Committee on Treaties into the Kyoto Protocol this morning.

"Its obvious to everyone that the ridiculously low 5 percent emissions
target outlined Monday's white paper will need to be revised. What will
the mining industry do when it finds itself unprepared to operate within
a carbon constrained global economy?" said Greens Senator for Western
Australia Scott Ludlam.

"The mining sector in Western Australia is completely unprepared for the
challenges of climate change. Instead of acting now to sharply reduce
their greenhouse emissions they are still demanding government delay on
delivering more realistic emissions targets."

 "We heard evidence this morning from the most powerful lobby group in
the country that the mining industry is completely unwilling to take
responsibility for rising gas emissions in the sector." 

"The committee heard claims from the mining sector that renewable energy
technologies were not viable, and that if the government did not weaken
its ETS further the companies were threatening to move their operations
offshore. Neither of these claims are credible and the committee was
given no evidence to back them up."

"It is time for the Western Australian mining sector to wake up to the
reality that their business model is unsustainable in every sense. They
should be tackling climate change head on and investing in the future by
moving to renewable energy and energy efficiency," concluded Senator
Scott Ludlam. 


For more information or media enquiries please call Marie Bout on 0415
507 763.