Excerpts from EGCAN Submission
EGCAN recognises there is an urgent need to reach net zero emissions. In listening to the scientists and experts we know that this is the decade to make a difference. If we are to keep warming under 1.5 degrees and thus minimise the devastation of more extremes in weather, rising oceans, habitat and biodiversity loss our actions must be bolder, more ambitious and immediate if we are to achieve a safe future.
There is no place for fossil fuels – COAL, OIL OR GAS – in our economy. We must transition to renewables and a low carbon economy as a matter of extreme urgency. If we neglect to transition to renewable energy, the costs will be many fold.
Unacceptable costs:
● Increases in changes to our climate.
● An increase in droughts and extremes of weather.
● Wilder and more uncontrollable bushfires, starting earlier and ending later.
● Reduced agricultural output.
● Increased expenditure on mitigation of the changes.
● Mass extinction of flora and fauna.
● Reduced liveable areas in Australia and the world.
● Significant rises in sea levels.
On top of these predicted outcomes are the somewhat unknown but severe effects caused by having reached crucial tipping points. Melted permafrost in Greenland and Antarctica are expected to lead to dramatic increases in methane release. Methane release of this magnitude will result in global warming faster than projected conservative modelling.
Renewable energy is our future
● Australia can be a global renewables-led powerhouse, millions of jobs can be created. (BZE)
● Wind and solar could provide up to 75% of Australia’s electricity by 2025 (AEMO).
● Renewable energy combined with storage is the cleanest form of new energy generation.
● Renewables have come down in price every year for the last decade. Wind and solar are now the most affordable new power projects, already cheaper than coal and gas generation.