5 years ago
REEF AND REGIONAL ECONOMIES AT RISK
THE HON MARK BUTLER MP
The Morrison Government’s lack of action on climate change won’t just devastate the Great Barrier Reef. If emissions continue to escalate, there will likely be a loss of properties and infrastructure; loss of cultural and regional identity; and subsequent decline in regional economies, according to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s climate position statement.
The Authority has called for “the strongest and fastest” possible action to reduce emissions.
The statement warns of widespread impacts to regional economies with projections of more intense and frequent bleaching events, expected to be twice per decade by 2035 and annually by about 2044 if emissions continue to rise.
“You can’t be serious about protecting the Reef without having a serious climate change policy,” Mark Butler said.
“What the climate change denying Morrison Government has failed to realise is that the potential loss of the Great Barrier Reef is not only bad for the ecology of our oceans, but it will likely devastate our tourism industry, local jobs and regional economies,” Terri Butler said.
Despite the warnings of the loss of our national treasure, the Great Barrier Reef, the Morrison Government has no meaningful climate change plan.
The Liberals record on climate change:
The Authority has called for “the strongest and fastest” possible action to reduce emissions.
The statement warns of widespread impacts to regional economies with projections of more intense and frequent bleaching events, expected to be twice per decade by 2035 and annually by about 2044 if emissions continue to rise.
“You can’t be serious about protecting the Reef without having a serious climate change policy,” Mark Butler said.
“What the climate change denying Morrison Government has failed to realise is that the potential loss of the Great Barrier Reef is not only bad for the ecology of our oceans, but it will likely devastate our tourism industry, local jobs and regional economies,” Terri Butler said.
Despite the warnings of the loss of our national treasure, the Great Barrier Reef, the Morrison Government has no meaningful climate change plan.
The Liberals record on climate change:
- Carbon emissions have been continuously rising since 2014.
- In the quarter to December 2018 Australia’s carbon emissions rose 0.8 per cent.
- Government projections show the Liberals will miss the 2020 Kyoto commitment of a 5 per cent cut on 2000 levels. Instead, the cut will only be 2 per cent.
- The most recent Government projections confirm that under the Liberals’ failed policies, carbon emissions will continue to rise all the way to 2030.