Larissa Waters is Optimistic Australian workers can take the climate energy transition seriously

"I have a lot of confidence and optimism in the ability of our nation and our workers to take this transition seriously and create the fantastic domestic manufacturing opportunities that 100 per cent renewables will provide..."

Moving an amendment to the Australian Government's Climate Change Bill 2022 to increase the emissions reduction target from 43% to 75%, The Greens Leader in the Australian Senate, Larissa Waters said, "We are moving today to change the targets in this bill to a 75 per cent reduction by 2030, which is what the science says is necessary. People will have heard us say before that this isn't just the Greens' proposition. This is what international scientists are recommending is the necessary target for our nation to help us do our bit to globally keep warming limited to 1½ degrees.

"We don't have support for this amendment—spoiler alert! The two big parties will both oppose this, because we know the influence of the fossil fuel sector on this building, and it continues while those political donations continue to flow into the coffers of both of the big political parties. I see the now opposition shaking their heads about how we keep mentioning this inconvenient fact, but one does wonder what is the basis for the climate policy of the other parties when it's not science and when they do take millions in donations from fossil fuel companies. It's pretty hard not to draw the conclusion of who's in charge of writing climate policy.

"That is why we are moving today to increase the targets to 75 per cent by 2030 and to make sure that our net-zero target is brought forward to 2035. We can actually do this, and I have a lot of confidence and optimism in the ability of our nation and our workers to take this transition seriously and create the fantastic domestic manufacturing opportunities that 100 per cent renewables will provide. This could be a real boon for our economy, and I think most people understand that. They know that coal is on the way out. Even the coal workers themselves know. They know they're being lied to when the big parties claim that the coal industry will still be employing them in decades to come. They just want to know what happens next and they want a chance to say what happens next in their local region, and they deserve that say. You'll hear us continue to talk about a worker led transition and a transition authority. We look forward to progressing, through various different channels, because this country is ready to have, and capable of having, 100 per cent clean, renewable energy and a prosperous economy that will flow from that."

Keep up to date with the latest from Centre for Optimism

We appreciate any contribution you can make to help us spread optimism with the world
Give Today

Connect With Us

We love to connect with everyone who is ready to open up and share their optimisim.