Renewables announcements welcome – more needed to build WA’s clean energy future
Date: 26-Aug-2008
The WA Labor Party’s announcements on renewables and uranium are strong steps on the path to a clean energy future, but more is needed to fully realise that vision, according to the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Conservation Council of WA.
“Alan Carpenter is absolutely right to identify WA’s future lies with renewable energies like wind and solar, not with nuclear power and uranium mining,” said ACF campaigns director Denise Boyd.
“We strongly welcome the proposed legislated ban on uranium mining.”
“The proposed solar feed-in tariff and support for baseload renewable energy will cut carbon pollution and begin to build a sustainable energy economy for the state. These announcements have been a long time coming and are strongly welcomed,” said Piers Verstegen, director of the Conservation Council of WA.
“WA can achieve energy security and a clean, safe future by committing to a massive roll-out of renewable energy over the next decade. The first steps have been taken today, but we are nowhere near the finish line,” Ms Boyd said.
“The next important step is for all political parties to send a clear message that new dirty coal-fired power stations are unwanted and unnecessary in Western Australia,” Mr Verstegen said.
Peak WA environment groups have called on all political parties to:
* Support strong nationally legislated carbon pollution reduction targets of at least 30 per cent by 2020 and at least 80 per cent by 2050 (on 1990 levels)
* Prohibit new coal fired power stations
* Ensure WA achieves at least 20 per cent renewable energy by 2020, including a gross feed-in tariff, and
* Ban uranium mining, nuclear power and nuclear waste dumps.