Background

The Greens’ Climate Futures campaign aims to pressure the NSW Government to take serious action to combat dangerous climate change. The time for talk is over. We need real political action.

The Climate Futures Bill 2007 is a groundbreaking piece of environmental legislation that the Greens have introduced into the NSW Parliament. It signals a shift away from coal and towards massive investment in new green manufacturing jobs and alternative energy industries like solar, wind, tidal and geothermal energy.

The Pasha Bulka beached at Newcastle - June 2007

The Greens’ Climate Futures Bill 2007 would:

• prohibit the expansion of the coal industry;
• prohibit the development of new coal-fired power stations or the expansion of existing coal-fired power stations;
• fast track the development of a renewable energy industry;
• increase renewable energy targets;
• ensure that workers and communities affected by a declining coal industry will have access to retraining, employment and financial assistance.

In the past 10 years, employment in the coal industry has fallen while the price of coal has skyrocketed. More coal is being exported, but less local jobs are being created, destroying the fabric of coal communities.

The Greens vision is to gradually phase out the coal industry and replace it with clean, green energy solutions. There would be no new coal mines. Once existing coalmines fully exploit their resources they would close. Once coal-fired power stations reach the end of their economic life they would be shut down, having been replaced with alternative energy supplies.

Further Resources

View the full text of the Climate Futures Bill 2007 (237kb PDF)

Read Greens MP John Kaye’s speech about the Bill

Read John's speech in reply to other members