“The CPRS’s unrealistically conditional 25% is Australia once again
thumbing its nose at the global community, requiring strong action from
everyone else but refusing to take it on at home. A motion from the Senate
would give the Government a much more positive message to take to
Copenhagen.
“The tens of thousands of jobs in renewable energy waiting to be created
would be delivered by the Government fulfilling its election promise to
lift the renewable energy target. Why is the legislation to do that still
being delayed?
“Instead of holding back a jobs boom with the failed CPRS, let’s get
moving straight away with the Government’s renewable energy target and the
Greens’ more ambitious feed-in tariff bill.”
The Greens oppose the CPRS because:
• It locks in at least $16 billion in corporate polluter welfare in the
first five years alone instead of investing now in helping the community
reduce emissions;
• It locks out the option of Australia agreeing to an ambitious target in
Copenhagen, dragging down the chances of an ambitious global agreement and
undermining the chances of protecting the climate;
• It locks out the chances of a swift transformation of the Australian
economy, with a low target driving short-sighted and unwise investments;
and
• It locks out bold community action, encouraging apathy in the face of a
crisis.
“The Continue Polluting Regardless Scheme is an agreement to fail on
climate change and an agreement to fail in transforming the economy. Its
only possible impact domestically and globally is to drag down our level
of ambition.
“Transforming Australia into a zero carbon powerhouse would create at
least 800,000 jobs, but the CPRS would lock out the potential to create
more than a handful.
“Study after study has shown that a serious plan to transform Australia
into a carbon neutral powerhouse would create a jobs boom, but a weak
target and $16 billion in handouts to the biggest and noisiest polluters
can only lock out that boom and deliver barely a trickle.”