[Greens-Media] Key climate programs all PR, no targets

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Key climate programs all PR, no targets

Canberra, Tuesday 19 February 2008  Australian Greens climate change
spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, today called on Prime Minister
Rudd to do more on climate change than invest in public relations
programs, as Senate Estimates questioning revealed a complete absence of
emissions reductions performance indicators for key climate programs.

Senator Milne said "Labor's energy efficiency policies are increasingly
emerging as public relations exercises with no serious greenhouse gas
emissions reductions attached in spite of the McKinsey report
identifying energy efficiency as a huge emissions reduction opportunity
that can be implemented today.

"Whilst providing photo opportunities for Minister Garrett and Labor MPs
across the country to pose with the one solar panel provided to each
school, the Government's multi-million dollar programs will do next to
nothing to actually reduce Australia's greenhouse emissions.

"Millions of taxpayer dollars are going to be invested in climate change
programs such as the National Solar Schools program, the Solar Hot Water
Rebates for Households and Expanded Solar Cities, without the government
having any target for the greenhouse gas emission reductions those
programs will achieve.

"Whilst admitting that these programs are designed in part to raise
public awareness, the Government has not set any performance benchmarks
in terms of emissions reductions for these programs.

"Under questioning in Senate Estimates hearings today, the Government
reiterated that the target of 225,000 households for solar hot water but
had no idea that Australia has 7.4 million households. A serious
domestic emissions reduction strategy requires systematic coverage
across the nation and not just tokenism.

"The Greens have proposed a program for such systematic coverage, The
Energy Efficiency Access and Savings Initiative, which would provide a
tenth of the 30% emissions reductions necessary by 2020. Labor could
prove it was serious by taking up this policy."

Contact: Tim Hollo on 0437 587 562

Tim Hollo
Media and Communications Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
Phone: + 61 (0) 2 6277 3063
Mobile: + 61 (0) 437 587 562
Email: tim.hollo at aph.gov.au
Skype: timhollo

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