Call for a national energy roadmap to phase out all coal fired power and guide Australia towards 100% renewable electricity.
Eleven community groups with more than 1.5 million supporters have urged federal and state energy ministers to set a clear pathway for energy market reform when the ministers meet at the COAG energy meeting in Canberra on Friday.
The groups are calling on ministers to develop a national energy roadmap to phase out all coal fired power stations, guide Australia towards 100% renewable electricity before 2035 and help affected workers and communities with the transition.
Two reports released in the last week show the electricity market and Australia’s existing energy arrangements are failing the environment and electricity consumers.
“With bleaching badly damaging the Great Barrier Reef this year and monthly temperature records becoming the new normal, closing Australia’s coal-fired power plants becomes absolutely necessary,” said Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Kelly O’Shanassy.
“The clean energy revolution is here, but it needs a plan to avoid disruption, look after communities and stop power price spikes that happen when companies play the market.”
“Not only is 100% renewable energy 100% doable, it’s also 100% better,” said GetUp’s Climate Justice Campaigns Director Miriam Lyons.
“This transition is Australia’s chance to break the market power of big polluters that have been pushing up power prices, making us sick and wrecking the planet.
“Recent events in South Australia show a handful of big polluters have too much power to push up prices – the best way to break that power is to increase competition from renewables.”
“Australia’s political leaders should know how popular renewable energy is across the country by seeing how many households have invested their own money in solar power systems,” said Solar Citizens’ National Director Claire O’Rourke.
“We now need a national plan to harness the multi-billion dollar renewables boom and manage the orderly transition to 100% clean renewable power.”
Australian Conservation Foundation
Australian Wind Alliance
Australian Youth Climate Coalition
Community Power Agency
Conservation Council SA
Environment Victoria
Friends of the Earth Australia
GetUp!
Nature Conservation Council NSW
Solar Citizens
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