The Prime Minister’s approach flies in the face of the climate science, which confirms that burning coal is the biggest contributor to climate change and is fuelling extreme weather events.
In response to news that Prime Minister Scott Morrison has not ruled out using public money to fund new coal-fired electricity projects or upgrades to existing coal plants, the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Climate Change Program Manager, Gavan McFadzean, said:
“It’s very concerning that Prime Minister Scott Morrison has left the door open to using public money to fund new coal-fired power stations or upgrade existing stations to keep them operating longer.
“In 2019, a responsible government does not even flirt with financial support for coal-fired power.
“The Prime Minister’s approach flies in the face of the climate science, which confirms that burning coal is the biggest contributor to climate change and is fuelling extreme weather events.
“The Federal Government’s process for deciding how to support new firm or dispatchable electricity generation has been haphazard and has twisted the intentions of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
“There is very little understanding of how the Government is running this process.
“The Australian Conservation Foundation supports the ACCC’s proposal because it provides a way for new clean energy to get into the electricity system, but there is no excuse for ignoring the climate implications of fossil fuel. The Government should not use this scheme to support coal.”
