Rising Tide Australia

Rising Tide Newcastle has hit out at the Labor party this week for what it says is misleading and cowardly greenhouse emissions policy that will condemn NSW to accelerated climate change.

NSW is directly responsible for 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent entering the atmosphere every year. Carbon dioxide released from exported NSW coal which is burnt overseas, comes to an additional 220 million tonnes per year. Neither figure shows any indication of falling in the foreseeable future.

“The trajectory NSW is following is going to devastate the ecology of this state. The Labor Government’s plan does not cut emissions by anywhere near the degree necessary to avoid a 2ºC warming scenario, which will lead to nearly 80% loss in coral reef systems globally and an up to 70 per increase in forest fires in the coming decades.

The State of the Environment Report last year found that in NSW “emissions are increasing and are predicted to increase further, influenced largely by strong growth in emissions from the stationary energy sector.”

“The Labor Government is living in a fantasy land when it comes to climate change. They excuse increases in coal exports because of the massive volume of global emissions of CO2 compared to the amount we are responsible for, yet boast that the level of increase of domestic greenhouse gas emissions over the last few years is 38 million tonnes less because of their Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme.”

There is no question of this Government “heading in the right direction” on climate change. Unless bold and courageous action is taken now, the life systems that support NSW will begin to unravel. Woodlands and forests will burn away, the breeding cycles of fish, invertebrates and plants will be disrupted, salty sea water will invade coastal rivers. Once these processes begin to change, we won’t be able to stop them.”