Queensland is also blessed with some of the world’s best wind and solar resources.
In response to the commitment from the Queensland Liberal-National Party (LNP) leader to mandate clean energy investment by state-owned power companies, Australian Conservation Foundation Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Paul Sinclair, said:
“Ms Frecklington’s commitment to growing clean energy and a ‘future without coal’ is a positive step towards the cross-party support needed to stop climate pollution and bring forward the transition to solar, wind and storage solutions.
“Her commitment should cast aside the LNP’s previous obsession with building a new polluting coal plant in Queensland at the expense of our safe climate. Unfortunately, the qualifiers in her speech and attacks on other state’s ambition dampens what could have been a better commitment to cutting climate pollution.
“Queensland faces significant threats from climate damage. The Great Barrier Reef has been hammered by mass coral bleaching. The droughts, heatwaves and storms that hurt our communities are getting worse as the planet warms.
“Queensland is also blessed with some of the world’s best wind and solar resources and is well positioned in the energy hungry Asia-Pacific region to deliver clean energy exports.
“Words are good. But actions are better. The Palaszczuk Government has set a strong clean energy target for Queensland. What we need now from all parties is a strong transition plan to accelerate the closure of dirty ageing coal plants, look after workers and communities, and reap the benefits of clean energy.
“Ms Frecklington’s comments are another sign the Turnbull Government is out of step with state colleagues and the community at large on clean energy. It should now be looking to implement a national climate change plan with greater ambition for clean energy and pollution cuts than is currently proposed.”
