Victory on Climate Change

Premier Iemma's announcement of a legislated renewable energy target for NSW is a huge victory. The Greens, the environment movement and the hundreds of community organisations that have been arguing for clean energy solutions to climate change have finally been able to force the NSW government's hand.

After more than a decade of highlighting the dangers of runaway climate change, the debate on the causes, likelihood and impacts is now over. The challenge is to make sure that we get the right solutions.

The Labor government's announcement is a big step in the right direction.A key election issue is now NSW's coal resource and the growth in coal mines. Driven by exports which result in emissions that potentially dwarf what we do in Australia, the industry is expanding rapidly.

The coal corporations, with assistance from Labor and Coalition politicians, are pushing the myth of "clean" coal to protect their massive profits by taking the pressure off the need to reduce mining.

The Newcastle Greens councillors did a great job this week putting export coal on the agenda. Well done councillors!

The Greens are committed to making this the climate change election. We are working hard to unmask the convenient untruths of "clean" coal and "safe" nuclear power.With the help of our thousands of members and supporters, we can stay in the debate and make sure that the future is rescued.