Help make WA's Climate Act better
Dear Enviro House supporters,
We are asking for your help - please email your local State MP. Template letter to cut and paste into your email and MP contact details below.
Thank the Cook Labor Government for tabling WA's first Climate Change Bill in Parliament on 30 November 2023.
Let your local MP know that they have this one important opportunity to make WA's Climate Act better.
WA will have a Climate Act setting out a 2050 target of net zero emissions, but is the only state with no interim emissions target. How is WA going to get to net zero 2050 without a plan?
Ask for:
- An interim target outlining a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
- An independent expert climate change authority to advise WA's Environment Minister.
The Science is clear - this is the most important decade to fast-track emissions reduction if we are to limit global temperature rise to one acceptable for human survival. Australia has pledged to reduce our emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030. QLD has a similar resource-based economy as WA and has a 30% by 2030 target legislated and just announced they will set a new 75% target for 2035.
Currently WA's emissions are tracking up significantly, not down. This means we cannot let another day go past without setting an interim emissions reduction target for 2030.
A lot is made of why WA should keep expanding our gas extraction industry and significantly, our greenhouse gas emissions. Yet increased gas production is not needed for domestic consumption, as the vast majority is exported. Australia receives less from gas company taxes than what we make in beer excise.
Mining and construction are significant employers, but the oil and gas industry is a small employer in WA.
It is time for Western Australians to find our voice on climate issues.
Read how a "Weak WA Climate Bill will be a Blow to National Emissions Targets". Join West Australians wanting our state to pull it's weight on climate action.
Please let us know if you act and email an MP or meet with them.
Kind regards,
Rosemary Lynch
Convenor
EnviroHouse Committee
Email your MP
Copy the example email below - and send it to your MP. Ask your friends to email too.
Dear (Local MP),
Thank you for tabling WA's first Climate Change Bill in Parliament on 30 November 2023.
We have an important opportunity this decade to reduce WA's climate emissions, in line with the Paris Agreement - by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030.
For this reason, it is essential that we establish in our new WA Climate Change Act:
- An interim target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
- An independent expert climate change authority to advise WA's Environment Minister.
QLD has a similar resource-based economy as WA and has a 30% by 2030 target legislated and just announced they will set a new 75% target for 2035.
Currently WA's emissions are tracking up and we have no 2030 emissions target. This is due to the ongoing expansion of our LNG industry in WA. The LNG industry contributes just 1% of the WA state budget and two thirds of our gas is effectively given away, with almost no royalties or tax paid. The gas industry creates far less jobs than the rest our mining industry. [Read article "Gas-fired robbery" - Assessing the economic contribution of LNG to Western Australia by Liam Carter and Rod Campbell for The Australia Institute.]
There is no evidence that WA's gas will decarbonise the markets to which our gas is exported. Japan and South Korea are not putting in place adequate policy settings to decarbonise their economies, due to their own fossil fuel industry players. [Read article "Asia's most developed nations are far from leading the region's fight against climate change" Author Eric Yep for S&P Global.]
I would appreciate it if you could advise me if you support a 2030 interim target and an independent expert climate change authority in the WA Climate Change Act. This will be a consideration when I vote at the next State Election.
Kind regards,
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