Climate group says Kakadu `doomed'

Northern Territory News
Wednesday 10/12/2008 Page: 7

THE Federal Government has condemned tourism icons the Great Barrier Reef, the Murray-Darling Basin and Kakadu National Park to destruction by agreeing to a low emissions reduction target, advocacy group GetUp says. GetUp says it understands the government has settled on an emissions reduction target range of 5 to 15 per cent on 2000 levels by 2020. GetUp's national director Simon Sheikh said the government went to last year's election promising strong action on climate change.

"Their expected announcement doesn't constitute a genuine response," he said. "Professor Ross Garnaut found that to get a global deal that saves the Great Barrier Reef, the Murray-Darling Basin and Kakadu National Park, we need to set emission reduction targets of at least 25 per cent on 2000 levels by 2020.

"By not making a decision to tackle climate change, this government is rejecting the mandate given to there by the Australian public." Mr Sheikh said GetUp would launch a campaign to pressure the government into making a significant investment in renewable energy in its next budget.