Australia speaks: time for action on climate change

Friday 20 October 2006

For the second time in a month Australians have shown they want action on climate change, and they don't believe enough is being done to tackle the problem.

Following on from the Lowy Institute's recent report, the latest polling from A.C. Nielsen has found that only 8% believe the federal government is doing enough to address climate change, while three out of four want to see more done to support the use of wind energy.

More than two-thirds of respondents said they would be happy to pay an extra couple of dollars a month if it meant using energy from an environmentally friendly source, 77% want the government to look at setting up more windfarms, while 74% believe wind is a good alternative energy source.

The A.C. Nielsen poll of more than 1,500 Australians, undertaken in late September-early October, found that 84% believe Australia should take stronger action to reduce its greenhouse gas pollution levels and 78% think Australia should be a world leader in greenhouse reduction.

The survey showed nine out of ten Australians are concerned about environmental issues, but despite a push to establish nuclear energy, just 13% of Australians think nuclear power is a clean energy source.

Nearly 75% recognise coal-fired power stations are a major contributor to climate change and just 6% say any form of electricity is acceptable as long as the waste can be buried.

Auswind's CEO, Dominique La Fontaine, said: "These figures come at a time when nuclear energy is being promoted as an answer to climate change, despite widespread concerns over the safety and greenhouse intensity of the nuclear cycle, and the fact that it would take up to 20 years for Australia's first nuclear reactor to come online."

"At the same time, while new wind farm developments are being welcomed in China, Australia's own wind energy industry is faltering," she said.

Among the report's other findings, 71% think Australia should sign the Kyoto Protocol, less than one in ten say using energy sources such as wind power would NOT help save the environment, and just 6% believe any form of electricity is acceptable as long as the waste can be buried.