L-R: ACF executive Director Don Henry, Acting CEO of ACOSS Gregor Macfie, ACTU President Sharan Burrow and Director of the Climate Institute John Connor
New climate alliance to drive tough and fair solutions
For the first time peak social, union, research and environmental organisations have formed an historic and powerful alliance to tackle climate change.
The Southern Cross Climate Coalition – an alliance of the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Australian Council of Social Services and the Climate Institute – is pushing for climate policy to be fairly implemented to maximise the opportunities for investment and jobs growth whilst emphasising that all sections of society have an urgent responsibility to act.
ACF Executive Director Don Henry said “The time we have for an orderly transition is running out, climate change is occurring more rapidly than anticipated and every day of delay will make the job of cutting emissions harder.”
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said “Our groups share a platform that seeks to ensure climate policies are broadly based and everyone does their fair bit at time when we know the Rudd Government faces a legion of corporate lobbyists pushing for special deals.
“We need to protect vulnerable families and trade exposed industries but we also need to recognise that green jobs and climate friendly industries provide Australia with economic opportunities,” she said.
The Southern Cross Climate Coalition platform recommends realistic actions based on four pillars of urgency, fairness, investment and jobs growth and is urging the Prime Minister to:
· Stand his ground against special pleading from certain sections of industry
· Take the call for urgent action from Garnaut to the G8
· Do everything possible to get a broadly based emissions trading scheme fully implemented by 2010.
Gregor Macfie, Acting CEO of ACOSS said “Climate change will affect low income households disproportionately. In shaping our responses we must ensure that low-income households are able to benefit from new opportunities and are shielded from price hikes for essential goods and services. We must ensure that low income households are a real part of our solution to this serious issue.”
John Connor, Director of the Climate Institute said “Switching the global economy to a low carbon pathway will create multi-trillion dollar markets for low carbon and clean energy technologies and infrastructure. Australia needs to ensure that it is competitive in this global low carbon economy. The reality is that every year we don’t act, the economic opportunity cost grows.”