[Greens-Media] MARK PARNELL MLC: Rann must set 2020 greenhouse target

[Parnell]

Media Release
25 February 2008

Rann must set 2020 greenhouse target 


In the wake of the interim report of the Garnaut Review, Premier Mike
Rann must act immediately to fulfil his promise to put in place a 2020
climate change target for SA, says Greens MLC Mark Parnell. 

The interim Garnaut report calls for strong 2020 greenhouse reduction
targets similar to the EU (20-30% below 1990 levels by 2020).  A similar
target (20% reduction below 1990 levels) passed by the Upper House last
year was rejected by the Government.

Instead, the Government proposed a weaker 2020 target (to return the
state to 1990 levels) that would have allowed SA to keep on increasing,
not decreasing, its emissions over the next 13 years.  However, when
this was not accepted the Upper House, Premier Rann indicated he was
looking to establish his 2020 target by regulation, saying:

"The Act allows for this and will enable us to fill the gap left when
the Upper House defeated an interim target to achieve 1990 levels of
greenhouse gas emissions by 2020" 

That was 7 months ago, and still no regulation. 

"The Rann Government's refusal to accept strong 2020 greenhouse
reduction targets in Parliament last year now looks incredibly
short-sighted," said Mr Parnell.

"Rann said at the time an interim target similar to the one Professor
Garnaut says is appropriate for Australia, would be 'unrealistic'. Now,
less than 7 months later, he must accept he has badly mis-judged the
science, and act immediately to insert a science-based 2020 greenhouse
reduction target into state law. 

"Yet, when it comes to 2020 action, Rann has been caught out failing to
do even the baby step he promised 7 months ago.

"The Greens are calling for him to put an interim greenhouse target in
state law, as he said he will do. First, however, he needs to listen to
Ross Garnaut and climate change experts and put in place a target that
will actually decrease the state's emissions. 

"Rann said he would do it, and now he should.  But this time he should
put forward a target that will actually deliver results," said Mr
Parnell.

	
For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893

	
 


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