Tackling climate change: Australians call for action

Thursday 5/10/2006

Australians want action on climate change, and they are prepared to pay for it.

The latest polling from the Lowy Institute shows ordinary Australians see tackling climate change as a bigger priority than terrorism, with more than two-thirds (68%) believing that: “Global warming is a serious and pressing problem [and] we should begin taking steps now even if this involves significant costs.”

Chief Executive of the Australian Wind Energy Association (Auswind), Dominique La Fontaine, said the technology exists to make a difference in the short term, and the costs are not high.

“The main objection has always been that a move to more renewable energy would push up energy prices,” she said. “These latest figures show Australians recognise that tackling climate change is far more important than a few dollars extra on their electricity bill.”

Australia has record levels of atmospheric CO2 and electricity production is responsible for half of our greenhouse gas emissions, so a rapid move to adopt more zero and low-emission energy production is the biggest single step we can take to cut our pollution levels. The longer we wait the more it will cost.

Schemes like the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) have shown the potential for huge investment in wind energy, delivering clean electricity and providing a boost to regional economies at an average cost of around $10 per household per year.

“Wind energy has grown at around 28% a year worldwide for the last decade thanks to policies that encourage clean energy production, but the Australian government is currently doing nothing to welcome this technology, and we are being left behind.” said Ms. La Fontaine.

“The USA, India, China, Canada and many European countries are leading the way and Australia has plenty of investors just waiting for the right signals from Canberra to show that Australia also welcomes wind energy.”

“The wind energy industry doesn’t want hand-outs or subsidies, just sensible policies to encourage the adoption of clean energy and the benefits it brings to all Australians.”