NT Government in ‘climate denial’ and 2035 emissions target labelled ‘let down’
Politicians and climate lobbyists expressed their “devastation” at government climate action and raised NT climate scandals. Read the details.
On day one of Australia’s Great Northern conference in Darwin on Thursday, politicians and lobbyists gathered to raise their voices against “disastrous” and “devastating” government action on climate change.
Local scandals such as Wickham Point’s LNG tank 20-year methane leak were also mentioned and further calls for NT Environmental Protection Agency (NTEPA) chairman Dr Paul Vogel‘s resignation were made.
While the two-day conference held at Darwin’s George Brown Botanic Gardens was labelled as a success so far, it seems the Federal Government’s 2035 announcement committing to a reduction in emissions between 62 and 70 per cent below 2005 levels stoked a lot of anger.
Kat McNamara, Greens member for Nightcliff, said the proposed range from government was “devastating”.
“Let’s be clear, a range is not a target,” they said.
“Sixty-two per cent condemns us to warming at over 2C.
“We can forget 1.5C, the 1.5C Paris agreement is dead.
“We need a 76 per cent target at minimum to help us keep below that.”
McNamara said for the Territory this meant increased high fire risks days and a dangerous rise in days over 40 degrees making much of the Territory uninhabitable in the future.
“All Australians should be furious,” McNamara said.
“It is an absolute let down.
“Then the CLP scrapping our 2030 targets means we are directionless.
“It’s negligent, it’s disastrous and it’s frankly quite distressing.
“It’s been said here today that this is colonisation in a different form.
“When our governments and policy makers knowing that First Nations people will become refugees from their own countries … that is colonisation in the modern day.”
‘If there is not balance there is no future’
Ropa Woda Governance Council member, Elder Miliwanga Wurrben, is speaking at the conference about the importance of water to Indigenous culture and identity.
Explaining how many Indigenous people follow the laws of the land to protect the water, animals and plants, Ms Wurrben said she would like to see the government work more alongside them to restore balance.
“And here is the government trying to… destroy the water that gives life and is so sacred to us,” she said.
“The importance of caring for Country among my Indigenous people is to have that harmony and balance.
“If you do not have balance in your law, then you are nothing.
“This is where we need them to come to us the people of the land and make that balance.
“If there is no balance there is no future.”
Senator for Queensland and Greens member, Penny Allman-Payne, said the emissions target from Labor shows they have “sold out to coal and gas companies”.
“Labor’s target announced today means that millions of Australians are going to be forced from their homes due to floods, fires and extreme heat and the communities that will be most impacted are communities like Darwin,” she said.
“Communities like Darwin are being sacrificed on the alter of fossil fuel profits.”
In a message to Labor and Prime Minster, Anthony Albanese, she said it was not too late.
“It’s not too late to stop opening coal and gas projects,” she said.
“It’s not too late to take the action that you need to take to protect communities.”
Calling the environmental and safety regulator’s alleged cover up of the methane leak at Wickham Point gas site a “national scandal”, Ms Allman-Payne said action must be taken.
“We also have a situation when Paul Vogel, the chair of the Northern Territory Environmental Protection Agency is also on the books for fossil fuels and mining corporations,” she added.
“Mr Vogel’s position is untenable and he needs to resign and that methane tank needs to be shut down.”
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