There are not enough words in the English language to describe how angry I feel at the moment. This anger is directed at the Australian Government and their childish attempt of setting a ridiculously low emissions target for the year 2020. Faaaaaarrrrrrrrrk! I just want to scream. And here is the reason why…..
Government announces emissions targets of just 5% by 2020!
Are they yanking our collective chain? Do they think we are all idiots? Do they think the rest of the world will not laugh them out of the next climate conference. In the words of Dr Phil, "What were they thinking?" No wonder they held off announcing this emissions target until after the Poznan conference which ended last week. If our government had announced it at the conference, and if there were buckets of horse crap in the room, everyone would have thrown it at our delegates. I know I would have!
Having read the first 100 odd pages of the white paper (it is a very large document), I get the distinct feeling that the coal lobby has had a lot of influence over the governments decision for a miniscule 5% target for 2020. There is also a proposed administrative allocation of free permits for our one of our largest polluting industries, which would be???? You guessed it. COAL! Someone in the industry is pissing in Rudd’s pocket. Disgusting behaviour for a government that is supposed to be popular with the people. This scheme is business as usual for big polluting industries as far as I am concerned.
I will be reading through the rest of the document tonight, and will give everyone a better review of the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme tomorrow. As I mentioned before, I am just too angry to write any more. In the mean time, if you are as concerned about our future generations as I am, please voice your opinion at the GetUp! site by voting either yes or no (your choice of course) because votes in the next election are the only words governments understand. GetUp! are running a campaign about the CPRS weak targets and you can have a read of the GetUp!! media release for a layman’s explanation of the emissions targets consequences to the people of our great nation.
When I think about the future state of planet and what will be left for future generations if these clowns are allowed to implement a weak emissions target, the saying "Up Shit Creek without a paddle" comes to mind!
Hopefully, people power will come to the rescue. I know I will be doing everything in my power to convince the government to set a stronger interim target. Just remember Mr Rudd, big polluting companies can’t vote for you at the next election, but my friends and I can!
I remember some election campaign promise along the lines of 20% by 2020.
If I had a vote Gavin I would be there with you.
Margaret
This is absolutely disgraceful. I couldn’t believe they would cop out of the most important issue facing our country by a meager 5%. We, as individuals, will just have to work on reducing our carbon footprint more. Encourage others to do the same. “Be the change you want”; who wrote those marvellous words??
Anita
im with you gavin 5% is ridiculous if the had gone to 15% it least that was a reasonable target.i think qld govt has pushed for the low figure because theyll miss out on billions in coal royalties ,so will nsw govt
I thought the idea was a manageable (albeit miniscule) figure in the interim but if the scheme can be proved to be workable and other countries come on board (which will mean sharing the dollar burden we will have to pay) then the taget could be lifted to 15%. But I haven’t read it only going on what I gleaned from another discussion about it. WIll hunt it donw and have a look myself.
daisymum
I agree with you Gav they have sold us out to the big bugs in the coal industry and big business will loose some of their exorbitant proffits GREED once again wins out ELLIE
While I’m disgusted at the pathetic target the government has set, I have to say that I’m not particularly surprised. I must be more cynical than I thought because I took K Rudd’s pre election promises for what they were pure political BS.
I am so sick and tired of hearing ‘we will aim for higher targets if other countries come on board’or ‘we contribute only 1% green house emmissions world wide’. Has no one in government ever heard of LEADING BY EXAMPLE!!!! So what if the economy takes a bit of a hit. What’s the point of having a strong economy if the planet is on it’s last legs.
Hehe, great picture!
A journalist threw a shoe at Bush. I’m thinking we need to start throwing lumps of coal at Rudd, until he understands how upset we are at this pathetic little piece of political manouvering.
Thanks everyone for you thoughtful comments. I think that JulieG has the right sort of idea. Maybe a few lumps of coal to the head will sort out our elected clowns!!!! Unfortunately our politicians are all to familiar with taking the easy way out, and will never, ever, lead by example.
And as for the picture, perhaps I need to start recruiting 300 good men and women and march on Parliament just like King Leonidas of Sparta at the battle of Thermopylae in 480BCE! That might work…….
My thoughts when I heard the target was “why bother”. 5% is embarrassing. To me it was a token gesture.
Also it bothers me that ‘the little guys’ put their hands in their back pocket voluntarily to do their bit to help the environment while the corporate big offenders of pollution and environmental damage are not forced to do the same.
Any target needs to not only be bolder but also fairer.
5% of of whatever we have increased to by 2020 is – minus something isnt it?