Latest IPCC Report Shows Way Forward

More than 700 climate scientists and other experts from more than 70 countries spent five years preparing the latest IPCC report (the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).  Their message – climate change is already happening and there are big risks and costs to Australia from a changing climate.

Spokesperson for Climate Change Australia (CCA), Harry Creamer, said the IPCC is now more certain than ever that humans are causing the climate to change, and this will impact on everything from ecosystems and species to hunger, poverty, development, and global conflict.

“Many things, from the Great Barrier Reef to agricultural production and infrastructure are threatened by climate change.  Our food, our health, our houses and our environment are at risk”, Mr Creamer said.

“Since 2000 greenhouse gas emissions have grown rapidly and per capita emissions remain very unequal: people in high-income countries like Australia are responsible for nine times more emissions than those in poorer countries like China”, he said.

“The warming trend is clear: temperatures are rising on the ground, in the atmosphere, the surface of the oceans and deeper oceans.  This is with just 1°C of global warming and we are heading for 5°C with no effective action.  The question is – how hot do you want the earth to get?”

“This report is the ‘crunch’ report.  It makes it clear that big carbon reductions are needed by 2030 and we need to treble the take-up of renewable energy, not reduce it.  With emissions growing in every sector except land-use, delaying the move from fossil fuels to clean energy will only increase climate impacts and economic damage”, Mr Creamer said.

“Keeping temperature rise below 2°C will have additional benefits such as:

• Creating jobs in new industries such as renewables.
• Reducing impacts on human health and ecosystems.
• Making it cheaper to achieve energy security and improve air quality.

“The evidence confirms what economists have always known.  The best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce subsidies to polluters and increase the price of polluting.  It works for cigarettes, it works for alcohol and must be used to price carbon emissions too”, he said.

“However, the Federal government is poised to slash Australia’s price on pollution and our renewable energy target.  They’ve got these policies all wrong.  Governments must encourage these changes.  The more we invest in renewables the cheaper they get”.

“Australian families are embracing solar because it can reduce power bills by 65%.  Solar energy saves money, creates jobs and helps us reach the emission targets outlined by the IPCC.  It’s a clear win-win for all involved”.

CCA is calling on the MP for Lyne, David Gillespie, to publically support more renewable energy and an effective emissions reduction program, and take our concerns to the federal government.

“The economics of tackling climate change are easy – it’s the politics that are difficult.  The sooner we stop subsidising the fossil fuel industry and start investing in renewable energy, the cheaper it will be to tackle climate change.  Those who urge delay are driving up the cost of action, as fast as emissions are rising”, Mr Creamer said.

“There’s a lot more at stake than the price of bananas and an income tax levy to pay for the QLD floods.  These are just warm up acts, if you’ll excuse the pun”, he said.