Adelaide, Thursday 15 December 2005 The reappearance of binding targets on the global and Australian agenda sends a clear message to Premier Mike Rann in finalising his Greenhouse Strategy, Greenpeace and the Conservation Council of SA said today: climate change is so serious and urgent that the only way to address it is to adopt strong binding targets.
Victorian Premier Steve Bracks set the pace on climate change action in Australia yesterday, proposing legislated targets to increase the States use of clean, renewable energy. This announcement follows the decision in Montreal last weekend by members of the Kyoto Protocol to continue its binding tagets mechanism, although the Howard Government remains opposed.
Greenpeace energy campaigner Mark Wakeham said Binding targets are back. Last weekend in Montreal, 157 countries finalised the Kyoto Protocol and committed to working towards stronger binding targets to reduce greenhouse pollution after 2012. Now Premier Bracks looks set to take Victoria down a similar track.
The challenge to Premier Rann is to live up to his strong rhetoric on climate change by committing South Australia to meet challenging targets to reduce greenhouse pollution and increase the use of clean, renewable energy.
Conservation Council spokesperson Catherine Way said Surely Mike Rann wont let Victoria show up South Australia on this most important of all issues!
Last months draft Greenhouse Strategy was criticised for its failure to include targets. Events of the last week mean that the final Strategy must contain targets if it is to be taken seriously.
The two groups are calling on Premier Rann and all political parties to commit to: