Dear Prime Minister,
The scientific consensus on the urgency of the challenge facing our climate and environment has never been clearer. Key reports from the United Nations show that on current trajectories the world has no clear pathway to limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and is on track for catastrophic temperature rises. We must, and can, take ambitious action.
Our vision is for a country and a world where children walk to school breathing fresh air instead of dangerous fumes, and their parents think about the future with hope instead of fear. We want brilliant engineers, builders, farmers and people across Australia to be supported to roll out the solutions to make our homes warmer, our transport cleaner and cheaper, and to restore our natural environment – which is the basis of our future prosperity and quality of life – to once again be full of life. We want Australia to be a global leader, renewable energy superpower and invest in real climate action around the world. We must respect the rights of Indigenous communities, including Free Prior and Informed Consent.
This vision is not the reality we are experiencing. Millions of people around the world are facing catastrophic food crises and low-income countries have to divert expenditure from basic public services to respond to more frequent and intense floods, storms, wildfires, and droughts.
As Australia’s Prime Minister, you have the opportunity – and duty – to create a secure, fair and green future for the Australia and to ensure Australia leads on the world stage. It means appropriate investment in renewable energy, prioritizing the transition from fossil fuels. It means reversing the decline of wildlife and protecting 30% of the land and sea for nature by 2030. It means ensuring that Australia has the best environmental regulation in the world including the EPBC act.
It means increasing support for farmers and coastal communities to transition to climate and nature-friendly farming and fisheries. It means attending COP27 in Egypt, demonstrating a global commitment to significant progress on climate change. It means supporting communities on the frontline of the climate crisis in the most vulnerable parts of the world.
We urge you and your cabinet to set out and deliver the bold plan we need to tackle the climate, nature and possible extinction crises.
You have the chance to create an important legacy of environmental and climate stewardship. It is your choice as to how the history books will remember you.
Yours sincerely,
Craig Ling