Nearly three quarters of Australians support halting the expansion of coal mining
Nearly three quarters of Australians support halting the expansion of coal mining - including the massive Adani project - and fast-tracking investment in solar, to reduce planet warming pollution, new national polling has found.
The ReachTEL poll, commissioned by the Stop Adani Alliance, surveyed 3,312 Australians about their attitudes to the Adani mine, coal mining, climate change and protection of the Great Barrier Reef. It reveals:
- 65% oppose the Adani coal mine outright, a 13% surge in just 10 months since the Stop Adani Alliance was launched in March 2017
- 73% support a policy to halt the expansion of coal mining and fast track solar power and storage to reduce the threat of climate change
- 69% of Australians agree burning coal fuels worsening heatwaves, floods, droughts and storms through global warming
- 57% support a moratorium on any new coal mines as a strategy to address climate change
Australian Conservation Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Kelly O’Shanassy, said: “The poll shows a real appetite for stopping Adani’s dirty new mega mine, with nearly two-thirds of Australians now opposing the proposed coal mine.
“This is a tribute to the over two million Australians who’ve joined rallies, lobbied MPs, signed petitions and formed local groups to stop the mine.
“Decades of rock solid climate science has identified the burning of coal as the most dangerous activity threatening our safe climate. The majority of Australians agree.
“This poll again makes clear Australians want an end to the age of burning coal for power. We must instead rapidly produce as much clean energy from the sun and the wind, backed by storage, as possible.
“It is a reminder our elected representative that they must listen to the will of the people and chart a course from our dirty coal fuelled present to a clean energy powered future.
“We are encouraged by the comments of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten yesterday that the ALP is scrutinising the merits of the dirty Adani project. Mr Shorten is right, you can’t have it both ways on climate change. He should reject the mine.
“A clear rejection of the mine and a pledge to stop it would be Mr Shorten’s Franklin River moment.
“At the most recent round of international climate change negotiations 20 countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada, committed to phasing out coal-power altogether. Our South Pacific neighbours, who face disaster from sea-level rise and other climate change threats, have pleaded with Australia to quit its coal addiction.
“Australia can no longer be one of the world’s coal dealers. Instead we can be a clean energy powerhouse. We have the intelligence. We have the skills. And we have the resources.
“All we need is the political will.”
