New research by The Australia Institute shows an overwhelming majority want governments to take serious action to curb climate change. Isaac Nellist reports.
fossil fuel subsidies
“Stop the cuts,” is the usual left response at budget time. But on the eve of the first budget to be delivered by the Anthony Albanese Labor government, there are three cuts we should support. Peter Boyle reports.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made some very modest announcements at the COP21 climate change conference. He pledged Australia to the final years of the Kyoto protocol, an agreement that is about to lapse, and $800 million to developing nations for climate adaptation. This money is to come from existing foreign aid, which recent budgets have slashed. In contrast, Canada's new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged $2.5 billion.
Scientists have warned that if humanity is to avoid catastrophic climate change — which means limiting a rise in average global temperature to 2°C above that of pre-industrial times — most known fossil fuels reserves have to stay in the ground.
The science is lost on the Tony Abbott government, which argues that Australia’s vast fossil fuel reserves will ensure the country’s energy remains “cheap”.