Major parties "putting lives at risk"
Monday 11 July 2016
Originally published in Croakey
The Climate and Health Alliance released its scorecard ahead of the 2 July election, rating the major parties and media poorly for a lack of focus and debate on the potentially catastrophic risks of climate change to health.
If you are looking for guidance from the main political parties (other than the Greens) on how to respond to climate change this federal election, you will be disappointed. And if you are at all concerned about the need to limit the health risks of climate change with effective climate mitigation and adaptation policies, even more so.
An analysis of the policies of the main Australian political parties (Liberals, Nationals, ALP, and Greens) and their response to a survey from the Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA) shows an appalling ignorance when it comes to the most profound threat facing humanity today.
Neither of the major parties have credible climate change policies (i.e. consistent with Australia meeting its commitments under the Paris Agreement, and assuming its fair share of the global task to cut emissions).
The rather naïve approach of the ALP seems to suggest they think almost all emissions reductions can be achieved through a shift to renewable energy.
