[Greens-Media] Rudd must embrace UN's "Green New Deal"

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Rudd must embrace UN's "Green New Deal"

Canberra, Thursday 23 October 2008

Top global economists from the United Nations Environment Program and
Deutsche Bank overnight launched a plan for a "Green New Deal", echoing
President Roosevelt's "New Deal" to work America out of the Great
Depression, to tackle the economic crisis and the climate crisis
together.

Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne called on the Rudd Government
to embrace the plan which would see a massive investment in energy
efficiency, renewable energy, alternative transport and forest
protection, creating high quality, permanent jobs in a thriving,
prosperous, green economy.

Senator Milne said "The economic meltdown and the planetary meltdown are
in many ways two sides of the same coin.

"The best path to recovery is to use the same solutions to benefit both
crises simultaneously, boosting our economy by breaking through the
capacity constraints holding back the transition to a zero emissions
economy."

UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner, notes that logging costs the
world over $2.5 trillion a year in lost ecosystem services such as clean
water and air, stopping soil erosion and storing carbon. This is more
than the $1.5 trillion the economic crisis has so far cost.

Questioning by Senator Milne in Estimates hearings this week revealed
that the main constraint to rolling out solar panels and energy
efficiency in Australia is the lack of capacity in the workforce. We do
not have enough trained installers and energy auditors.

"Governments and industry in Australia are worrying about job losses in
the coal and forestry sectors while scratching their heads about how to
deal with workforce capacity constraints for rolling out renewable
energy and energy efficiency.

"It is clear that we need a major coordinated investment in education
and training to build capacity in the new, clean industries while
helping those who currently rely on the old, dirty industries move into
the clean future.

"If we try to deal with all of our problems separately, we will find
ourselves hitting a host of new problems. If we take a coordinated
approach, we will find coordinated solutions.

"The Greens have long advocated taking this coordinated approach which
the UN called for last night. Internationally, the wealth of
opportunities presented by the need to respond to the climate challenge
has long been recognised, counteracting the usual shrill claims by
vested interests that any change to business as usual threatens
prosperity.

"It's time for Australia to get on board and build a new, green, zero
emissions economy."

Contact: Tim Hollo on 0437 587 562

Tim Hollo
Media Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
ph: (02) 6277 3588
mob: 0437 587 562

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