Under the cover of coronavirus the Australian government is trying to wreck green energy growth

Under the cover of coronavirus, the right-of-centre Australian government want to funnel clean energy funding into climate-wrecking fossil fuels, sabotaging Australia’s world-leading renewable energy innovation to prop up dirty power.

 

The government is trying to sneak through changes that would force Australia's clean energy agencies to fund coal and gas projects.1

 

Australia is the leading coal exporting country in the world, accounting for 29% of the world's total coal exports. The coal industry wields enormous influence on Australian politics. In 2018 Germany imported about 5.2 million tonnes of coal from Australia.

If the two government parties get their way, new world-leading solar and wind power will be pushed out by controversial technologies and open the door for an expansion of the gas industry.

While everyday people in Australia are juggling working from home with kids, or wondering how to pay their next bill, the energy minister, Angus Taylor, is hoping people won't notice as the government sabotages Australia’s clean energy future. 

But we're paying attention, friend,” writes the activism group GetUp in a mail-out to hundreds of thousands activists.

The opposition Labor Party has announced they would oppose any changes to the mandate of clean energy agencies2 – which means these changes will go down to the wire in the Senate.

“So we need to urgently dial up public pressure and show the Senate that we want them to reject the vandalism of our clean energy agencies.”

A petition can be signed to stop the pollution of clean energy funding and save Australia's world leading renewables.

Australia's two key clean energy funders have propelled us forward as leaders in renewables research and technology. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) have invested billions in clean energy — creating hundreds of projects and thousands of jobs across the country.

Cutting-edge solar research, growing electric vehicle networks, world-leading battery projects and clean, affordable power for remote communities. ARENA and the CEFC have tapped into our national expertise and abundant resources to start building the safe, sustainable future we all want.

“We know that a recovery led by clean energy will create far more jobs than propping up the ailing fossil fuel industry.3,4 With the right support for clean energy — there's simply no market for dangerous fossil fuels like gas and coal in our future energy mix.

“The path to a prosperous recovery that puts people first is so clearly laid out — we must ensure (Prime Minister Scott) Morrison and Taylor don't take us down a gas-fired dead-end.

 
References:

[1] Morrison Government opens door to paying for cleaner coal and gas with climate funds, ABC News, 19 May 2020.

[2] Labor moves to end energy wars with bipartisan national framework, The Sydney Morning Herald, 24 June 2020.

[3] More jobs in renewable-led COVID-19 economic recovery, EY report finds, ABC, 7 June 2020.

[4] Renewable energy projects create jobs, save money, say top economists, Sydney Morning Herald, 5 May 2020.

 

 

 

Normal
0

21

false
false
false

DE
X-NONE
X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

webadresse: 
Lizenz des Artikels und aller eingebetteten Medien: 
Creative Commons by-sa: Weitergabe unter gleichen Bedingungen