Zali Steggall to put forward Climate Change Bill modelled on UK legislation
Warringah’s new MP Zali Steggall is to put forward a Climate Change Bill to set out a road map for Australia to become a low carbon economy without all the “fear mongering and misinformation”.
Manly
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Warringah’s new independent MP and self proclaimed “climate leader” Zali Steggall has announced she intends to put forward a comprehensive Climate Change Bill in early 2020.
Modelled on the United Kingdom’s Climate Change Act, the legislation will set up a
framework for Australia to achieve the long term goal of reducing greenhouse emissions
and adapting to global warming across sectors including health, transport, agriculture and
energy.
Mackellar’s Liberal MP Jason Falinski said he looked forward to seeing what the bill entailed, but said there was already legislation around climate change and emissions, such as the Paris targets.
“Zali’s bill might cover off things that are not legislated for,” he said.
“I look forward to receiving it.
“The Government is doing a heap of stuff already.
“We need to be leaders in Australia, which I would argue we are being.
“That gives us the standing internationally to tackle heavy emissions elsewhere.”
In Ms Steggall’s announcement today she said Australia needed to “set out a road map for Australia to become a low carbon economy without all the fear mongering and misinformation”.
She said legislation was needed going forward.
“The big question all sensible Australians are asking is how? This is why we need a Climate Change Act to set out a legislative framework,” Ms Steggall said.
Ms Steggall is also calling for an Australian equivalent of the UK’s 2006 Stern Review that
resulted in a groundbreaking report quantifying the costs of climate change, mitigation and
adaptation to a warming climate for the UK economy.
“We need to know the economic implications of climate change to all sectors of the
economy,” she said.
“In circumstances where some argue that we should not, or cannot, act, to prevent climate change, then let’s be very clear about the cost of doing nothing or not enough.
“Business as usual is not a zero sum game.”
The Climate Change legislation would create an independent body that advises on how to
most effectively and economically reduce emissions over time across all sectors of the
economy and adapt to global warming.
It will also compel the government to yearly mandatory reporting on emission reductions.
The legislation follows on from Ms Steggall’s call for a Parliamentary conscience vote for a
Climate Emergency.
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