In response to the Federal Government’s plan to underwrite a major expansion of Australia’s renewable energy capacity, Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter said today:
“Increasing federally-supported renewable energy growth to 32GW nationally signals major progress towards achieving Australia’s national renewable electricity target, a key pillar of our plan to shift our energy system away from coal, oil, and gas.
“With this announcement, the federal government has demonstrated a genuine commitment to delivering a rapid transition to clean, affordable, and reliable energy in partnership with states, business and community—a welcome change after the previous government’s decade of inaction.
“Australia is one of the sunniest and windiest countries on earth. Unlocking our potential to be a renewable-powered nation is not only good for energy affordability and reliability, but is also aligned with the scientific need to phase out coal, oil and gas at emergency speed and scale to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.
“Today’s announcement is a welcome step change in renewable energy uptake, and will help deliver another nail in the coffin in the case for new climate-wrecking coal or gas to meet our energy needs. The roll-out of this plan must deliver good jobs, community benefit-sharing, respect the rights of First Nations landholders, and protect nature.
“While Minister Bowen has firmly pressed the accelerator on Australia’s renewable energy growth with this announcement, it’s time now to absolutely gun it so that we can smash the 82% by 2030 target and go even further to unlock our potential to be a global renewable energy superpower.
“As the Australian Energy Market Operator has outlined, Australia has massive potential to become a renewable energy superpower with a thriving renewable exports industry, delivering lower emissions globally and at home. But this would require the energy system to deliver eight times as much energy as today.
“A thriving renewables-powered economy and a safe climate are within reach. This government has shown with today’s announcement that it is capable of making the sensible policy decisions to get us there; it just needs to steer clear of dangerous new coal and gas while accelerating action on renewables to get us there.”
—ENDS—