Queensland Climate Movement

This workshop considered the current, required and desired legislation and policy on climate change in Queensland. Specifically, it focused on:

• What current policies are in place or are being developed?
• What might be needed? How will we decide?
• What can we propose as necessary policy/legislative initiatives?
• What role can the Queensland Climate Movement play in the design, development and delivery of climate change policy?

Current Climate Change Policy

Current national greenhouse gas emission targets nationally propose a 60% reduction in emissions by 2050. This target has been replicated at a state level in Queensland.

Queensland has, however, proposed a tripling of coal production over that same period. This endorsement and ongoing support provided for the coal industry in Queensland is occurring at the expense of renewables, particularly in the financial support provided by the Queensland Government to coal.

At the same time, the government continues to provide support and to fund propaganda campaigns for so-called Clean Coal Technology.

Although some initiatives in Queensland have been undertaken to address climate change, the policies are fragmented, isolated from key infrastructure proposals and administered by marginalised agencies. It was considered that the amalgam of policies lead to an outcome which encourages the continuation of unsustainable practices in Queensland.

How do we decide what might be needed?

The necessary outcomes from government policies on climate change were identified. Specifically, these centred upon the articulation (and subsequent achievement) of a tangible greenhouse gas emission target that is scientifically robust and defensible, and is able to:

• ensure the long-term ecological health of the Great Barrier Reef;
• prevent the massive displacement of climate refugees, particularly in our Pacific Island nation neighbours; and
• achieve consistent and targeted improvement in environmental and resource condition indicators of environmental well-being.

What policy is required?

Some proposals for government policies to achieve these targets included:

• Legislated CO2 emission target of 350 parts per million as a maximum
• Carbon neutral Queensland
• Environmental well-being index for Queensland (and baseline data)
• Incentive programs and R&D funding arrangements for solar and other renewable development
• Local Government climate policies developed across Queensland based on Cities for Climate Protection
• Energy costs
• Energy needs will be reduced to match what renewables are capable of producing
• Transition pathways for the phase out of sea-borne coal export trade in Queensland
• Reduced funding to CCS research and abandon of CCS technology development
• Just transition policies for coal communities and workers to the green-collar sector

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