Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Safe Climate spokesperson
The Greens today proudly tabled our landmark legislation for climate action – the Safe Climate Bill 2021.
The world is in a climate emergency, and each jurisdiction needs to do everything possible to take urgent climate action. The Safe Climate Bill is a comprehensive plan to do this in lutruwita/Tasmania.
Tasmania might be a small state, but the changes we make here will make a real difference to keeping carbon levels low. If passed, this Bill would do our bit to cut emissions – which have been growing across a number of sectors.
It would also set an example for the rest of Australia, and the world, on how to take real climate action.
The Safe Climate Bill sets out a clear, sensible and achievable path forward to bring down emissions in each sector of the economy. It recognises we need to make not only an economic, but a social transition that focuses on making sure people in hardship don’t get left behind.
Our Bill sets annual emissions targets for every sector, supports key industries to meet those targets, and would drive investment in the decarbonisation of our economy.
It establishes a Safe Climate Commission, and a Standing Committee of Parliament, to manage the process of decarbonisation.
While lutruwita/Tasmania has reached net zero emissions, this achievement is solely due to changed forestry practices – specifically the hundreds of thousands of hectares of native forest protected under the Labor-Green Government. Emissions in the rest of the economy have not been properly addressed.
The climate emergency is the single biggest issue facing humanity. Every jurisdiction in the world must play their part in tackling this crisis, by taking immediate and ambitious action. The Safe Climate Bill does exactly that.
We call on members of Parliament to put their responsibility to lutruwita/Tasmania and its people first, and to support our evidence-driven plan for a safe climate future.