What conservation group wanted
■ 1. Legislate a Queensland Climate Change Act including: a long-term target to achieve net zero greenhouse pollution by 2040 to 2050 and interim carbon pollution reduction targets; a framework for monitoring, reporting and verification is necessary to ensure transparency and accountability and drive continuous improvement; adaptation plans with regular review and updates.
■ 2. Commit to a Climate Charter as part of the legislation to mainstream climate change considerations throughout government decision making, including a ‘climate test’ to ensure that all public authorities, when making an administrative or financial decision, assess whether that decision will enhance or reduce Queensland’s ability to achieve the state’s emission targets.
■ 3. As part of making the energy transition in Queensland, announce that no further environmental approvals or mining licences will be granted for coal mines across the state.
■ 4. Within 12 months of the election the Queensland Government will develop a plan for a clean energy transition that provides a timeline for the phased, and well-managed closure of coal-burning generators by 2030.
This time frame is required to achieve net zero pollution well before 2050. The coal retirement plan must be implemented in conjunction with the plan to grow the state’s renewable energy capacity, and include a process to provide just transitions for impacted workers and communities.
■ 5. Implement via legislation a Queensland energy efficiency retailer obligation scheme, which enshrines efficiency targets for electricity retailers. Equity considerations should come into play when developing such a scheme and targeted programs should be delivered for those most in need.
The state should also pursue improved building standards with mandatory disclosure at point of sale or lease, improved appliance standards, initiatives to provide accessible and affordable finance, government building upgrades, and establishment of.
■ 6. Within 12 months of election, develop a transport strategy that prioritises more public and active transport, and provides for a transition to low and zero emissions vehicles.
■ 7. Protect Queensland’s forests and woodlands with new laws.
This includes: preventing land clearing of all remnant vegetation; preventing clearing of high conservation value regrowth vegetation, including in the Murray-Darling Basin and Great Barrier Reef catchments; considering setting a volumetric statewide cap on all other vegetation clearing; removing assessment exemptions for thinning, fodder harvesting and mining activities, and tightening the rules. Legislative protection of native vegetation should be consistent across all sectors that undertake land clearing, including agriculture, mining and urban development.
■ 8. Establish land carbon fund. This involves allocating $300 million over a three-year period to fund land carbon projects that also meet biodiversity and/or reef catchment health requirements, with an emphasis on providing a substantial economic boost to regional Queensland.
This should include resourcing to re-establish the Queensland Herbarium’s land carbon research team (three FTEs – funding was pulled under the Newman Government) and dedicated staff and resources within the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.
It should also include resources for detailed economic research into the benefits for regional Queensland.
Enlist voluntary actions with a pledge initiative that is similar to the Victorian Government’s Take2 Pledge program, to encourage pollution reduction from state and local government’s own operations as well as from key omitting sectors of the economy.
■ 10. National advocacy. Advocate for a national market mechanism that will efficiently, effectively and predictably address greenhouse pollution and make structural adjustments to the Australian economy:
●As part of the COAG Energy Council and through further national advocacy, push for National Electricity Market reform and a national renewable energy transition plan to support the growth of renewable energy in Queensland.
●Encourage stronger national leadership on energy efficiency/productivity including an increased target to double Australia’s energy productivity by 2030, improved minimum standards for appliances and performance standards for buildings, mandatory disclosure at point of sale or lease, and more energy efficient government buildings.
●Encourage the Federal Government to set ambitious vehicle emissions standards to start in 2017 that bring Australia into line with current European Union standards by 2020, and a further phased approach to reach the EU’s 2021 standard by 2023; to set a target of 50 per cent of all new car sales in Australia to be EVs by 2026; and to introduce an Australian Electric Vehicle Strategy.
●End fossil fuel subsidies including preferential tax arrangements, concessional loans (including from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility – NAIF).