I was never previously all that interested in actually learning about politics, despite my father's best efforts to shape me into a political revolutionary! But seriously, now after the endless political information I learn at university, and when the government is making direct and harmful changes that effect my life and the lives of those around me, I can't help but be interested. Our Prime Minister Tony Abbot has broken yet another promise to the Australian people to not touch the Renewable Energy Target. The Warburton Review written by a climate change skeptics plans to scrap Australia's renewable energy sources!
What is the Renewable Energy Target?
The Climate Institute explains:
“The Renewable Energy Target is a bipartisan policy designed to reduce carbon pollution from the electricity sector and build Australia’s renewable energy industry. The Target is working, but several big power companies and industry associations are calling for it to be cut or even abolished altogether.”
The Warburton Review's recommendations, if adopted by the government, would cost thousands of jobs and more than $10 billion in investment in. To dismantle the target is also unsettling an industry that has brought in A$20 billion ($19 billion) since the country set goals for clean energy in 2001, according to Bloomberg.
“ If the government accepts the changes proposed by the Warburton Review, it would see Australia increase the amount of coal in our generation mix effectively re-carbonising, rather than de-carbonising our electricity.” Said John Connor, CEO of the Climate Institute.
Imagine all the people right now not knowing whether they will have a job in the near future or not. The Renewable Energy Target was set to generate approximately 18, 400 new jobs by 2020. If it is scrapped, established jobs and prospective jobs will be lost.
Removing the Renewable Energy Target means more of Australia’s electricity will come from coal and increasingly expensive gas-fired power, forcing up both power prices and emissions. For the Federal Government to meet its target of reducing emissions by 5 per cent, it would need to find an extra 34.7 million tonnes of emissions abatement from other sectors.
"The recent repeal of the carbon laws, the question mark over the future of the Renewable Energy Target, and the failure to deal with subsidies to coal and gas fired electricity, are all symptoms of an energy policy unfit to deal with its unavoidable decarbonisation challenge.” States John Connor.
So, yet again there is bad news, but it's not good to let it get you down. This is where we raise our voices, aspire to make change and act against these proposed recommendations for renewable energy destruction.
What are your thoughts? Let us know.