While rapid advances in renewable energy technologies are making deep cuts to emissions easier and more affordable, it's Western Australia's backwards-looking politicians who are making the transition to solar and wind much harder, according to Greens WA MP Robin Chapple MLC.
Robin Chapple MLC said: "This country has great engineers and scientists. It's the politicians who are holding WA back.
"President Obama's greenhouse gas mandate to the states should be a blueprint for all of Australia.
"The cuts could go much deeper but every state in this country would benefit from the rapid reductions in emissions that are now scheduled for the USA.
"For WA it would bring billions of dollars of new investment and a jobs boom in clean energy technologies.
"It would also bring relief from the health and environmental costs of coal-fired power stations.
“Coal Mining, Power Generation and Bauxite Refining are key industries in the Collie area, employing around 2,000 people directly in an average year.
“According to the National Pollutant Inventory, Muja Power Station, near Collie and served by coal-fired boilers is one of the biggest emitters of air pollution in Australia, including high emissions of beryllium, fluoride and particulate matter.
"That's a tiny fraction of the tens of thousands of new jobs that a rapid transition to renewable energy would bring to the region.
"Without an Obama-like mandate for rapid reductions, there is a real risk the benefits of Australia's remarkable innovations in renewable energy technology will go overseas.
"President Obama has set the pace and, if Australia falls behind, then WA could become an energy backwater.
"While the US administration is now talking about the employment and health benefits of reducing fossil fuel use, Australia is busy dismantling its programs to expand renewable energy generation.
The latest World Bank figures show that a quarter of global emissions are covered by carbon pricing in 39 national jurisdictions and 23 sub-national jurisdictions. Click here for the full report.
For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255
