It has become abundantly clear that federal Labor’s net-zero deadlines mean nothing. Despite promising to act on the climate emergency, its approach to climate action are hollow threats of “reform” that enable coal and gas companies to continue profiting and growing.
In the lead-up to the COP31 summit, students are demanding better.
The net-zero initiative, which Labor has signed, commits it to reduce emissions 62-70% below 2005 levels by 2035, and achieve net-zero by 2050.
The Climate Council, among others, say this timescale to reduce polluting carbon emissions going into the atmosphere is not only not fast enough to limit the temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels — as the 2015 Paris Agreement sets out.
But global climate pollution is not being cut fast enough and Australia is one of the main culprits.
The NSW Independent Planning Commission has just approved the Hunter Valley Operations Continuation Project on September 30, despite regional communities, including some in the industry, campaigning for sustainable jobs elsewhere.
Another 800 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from this giant coal mine will contribute to the climate emergency.
Climate Council Councillor and former Commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW, Greg Mullins, said: “This is a decision that every community in NSW will end up paying for, including those who are still recovering from worsening fires and floods fuelled by climate pollution. What NSW exports as coal, we import back as bushfires, floods, heatwaves and droughts. Climate harm does not stop at the border, and neither does the responsibility for it.”
While the federal Labor still has to sign off on this expansion, we know from its track record that it will. Since coming to power, Labor has approved or extended 37 fossil fuel projects.
They include Woodside’s North West Shelf fossil gas fossil export extension in Western Australia (approved until 2070), new gas extraction near the Victorian Otways (until 2045), Glencore’s Ulan Coal Modification in central west NSW (until 2035), extension and expansion of Middlemount Coal Mine in Queensland (until 2053), drilling 1695 new gas wells to feed Queensland’s gas export facilities (until 2081) and the expansion of BHP’s Saraji coal mine (until 2063) in central Queensland.
Sydney Students For Climate formed because we are demanding action. We were the students who walked out of class over the Black Summer fires, 2019-2020.
We are organising a protest on October 24, on Gadigal Country, before the COP31 climate summit to present our demands to the Labor government — which is playing a key role as negotiator and co-host.
We see this rally as an important part of rebuilding a mass public focus, which can be strong enough to pressure the government to make real, meaningful climate action.
We have three demands.
End new and expanded coal and gas mines. This would end fossil fuel production and the exportation of these non-renewables to global powers, which profit from on-selling and creating more dangerous emissions.
This requires binding emissions targets for the coal and gas sector.
Anthony Albanese’s government has delayed action, introduced isolated policies, which has discouraged the adoption of fast-tracked net-zero initiatives. It means Australia is on the back foot for the 2035 and 2050 deadlines.
An early phase-out could lead to a properly funded, fair transition for affected communities. This would mean investing in local industries, including retraining the coal and gas workforce and remodelling the built infrastructure. Such an approach could secure long-term employment opportunities. This is another of our rally’s demands.
Federal and state governments unwillingness to take these measures is greatly affecting the choices of regional communities, leading to a growing anger with net-zero and renewable energy policy.
Our rally is demanding more than new promises and a commitment to deadlines.
Labor must stop approving coal and gas projects that grow our carbon footprint.
We refuse to accept COP31 targets that look good on paper while dangerous emissions, which are not counted by the Paris Agreement, continue to rise.
While communities are feeling the brunt of the government’s inaction, coal and gas companies’ pockets grow heavier.
We’ve seen enough catastrophic weather events in our short lives, and it is time we do something about it!
See you on October 24!
[Lucy Millett is a Sydney Students for Climate organiser. Get in touch on Instagram if you can help build the rally or to add your organisation's endorsement.]