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| Farms not Coal |
"It's been inspiring to meet with city and regional leaders at COP22 who are taking real action on global warming," said Mr Rattenbury.
"But while I have been proud to speak about the ACT's ambitious leadership on renewable energy, one thing is undeniably clear - the lack of action by the Federal Government is letting down Australians, and the world.
"Australia's obsession with coal is economically and environmentally irresponsible. We must end our reliance on dirty fossil fuels and stop investment in new coal mines.
"Coal is part of Australia's past, not our future. The global market for Australian thermal coal has entered "structural decline", with prices falling 70% since 2009.[1]
"Not only is it economically reckless not to take action now, it is irresponsible to not support the communities and workers whose livelihoods are built around the coal industry.
"Like we have done in the ACT, it's time for Australia to embrace the jobs and opportunities that the renewable energy economy offers Australia, and to plan a transition away from coal to renewables.
"We must be looking to the next wave of technologies to reduce our reliance on coal and gas including renewable energy generation, battery storage, electric vehicles and affordable public transport systems powered by renewable energy.
"We are experiencing the catastropic impacts of global warming with more frequent and extreme hot days, storms, droughts and bushfires. The Federal Government is fiddling while the planet literally burns.
"Now is the time to grasp the opportunities that renewable energy brings, and I am calling on the Federal Government and Opposition to join the global moratorium on new coal.
"Any chance of keeping global temperatures at a safe level is fast diminishing, and Australia has a global responsibility to act now.
"We simply cannot wait any longer to take action on global warming. The future of our planet depends on it," said Mr Rattenbury.
17 November 2016
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