UK to end coal-fired power by 2025, Australia must follow: Greens
In response to news that the UK proposes to phase out coal-fired power stations by 2025, the Australian Greens today called for the government to transition Australia's energy sources from polluting fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy, like wind and solar.
Greens Energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said:
"It's great to hear that the UK is proposing to phase out their coal-fired power stations within the decade."
"This is a significant movement by one of the G7 nations and is just the latest example of countries around the world acknowledging that the age of coal is over."
"And unlike the UK, Australia is blessed with an abundance of renewable energy sources, meaning we can jump straight to solar and wind without a costly and unsafe detour through nuclear or gas."
"It is time for the Australian government to catch up with the rest of the world and commit to phasing out coal from our energy mix through investing in and growing clean, renewable energy.”
Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, said:
“By embracing the clean energy future Australia can create new sustainable jobs and be rid of our infamous title of the developed world’s biggest climate polluter per capita.”
“Shamefully Malcolm Turnbull is taking Tony Abbott’s pathetic climate targets to the Paris talks, which will keep us as the biggest polluter per person in the developed world and hitch our prosperity to dying fossil fuel industries.”
“The world is moving to the clean energy future – just yesterday we saw the OECD agree to cut subsidies for coal-fired power plants but only after Australia tried to thwart the deal and succeeded in watering it down.”
“The Turnbull Government needs to wake up to the clean-energy revolution and get amongst it,” Senator Waters said.
The Greens will launch a new energy policy including our approach to the problem of coal-fired power station closure on Sunday in Melbourne. For more information on the launch, visit www.renewaustralia.org.au.
Media contacts:
Adam Bandt – Adam Pulford, 0429 109 054
Senator Larissa Waters – Monique Vandeleur, 0419 626 725