Parents welcome momentum on climate, but Labor still leaves Australia behind world

Australian Parents for Climate Action

Australian Parents for Climate Action welcomes Labor’s climate policy announcement today, including a target of a 43% reduction in emissions by 2030. The package is a positive step forwards that will create jobs in renewable energy and see Australia move in the same direction as the rest of the world.

But, the 43% target is still behind our major allies and trading partners like the US and UK, and Australia will continue to lag behind major trading partners in the race to prosper from clean economic development.

Following the announcement, Australian Parents for Climate Action (AP4CA) CEO, Nic Seton, said, “Parents across Australia will be relieved to see Labor propose a cleaner and safer economic plan than the one currently on offer from the Morrison Government. This is welcome progress, but we’re left waiting for the real deal. The test for what’s needed to secure a safe climate is crystal clear: scientists have said the world must cut emissions in half this decade.

“This needs to be seen as the opportunity it is and Australia needs to step up and show global leadership or risk missing out on the jobs and benefits of a low-carbon economy. We live in the sunniest and windiest place on earth. Our trading partners, the US, UK, EU, and Japan are way ahead in their plans. We’re in a race towards clean economic development and prosperity, but we’re lagging behind. We’ve got everything we need to be a world leader, so let’s get on with it.”

“By going further than the coalition, Labor is giving Australians more choice to support climate action in the upcoming election. But Australian families expect more from both major parties. Both the Labor and Coalition policies remain out of touch with the lived experience of Australians everywhere who understand the risks of slow climate action, in the form of worsening extreme weather events like floods, fires and heatwaves, versus the opportunities of seizing the economic advantage.”

/Public Release.