Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present a petition that has been approved by the Standing Committee on Petitions. This petition has been prepared by the Benalla Sustainable Future Group. It is signed by residents in and near the Victorian rural city of Benalla in my electorate of Indi. The intention of the petition is to draw to the attention of the House the scientific evidence published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which indicates that the earth will experience disastrous consequences if we do not immediately take action to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit temperature rises to two degrees Celsius. The petition further calls on the House to take the lead by introducing the following measures: a market based mechanism for pricing carbon, a higher mandatory renewable energy target, reduced support for the fossil fuel industry and restricted land-clearing practices across the nation.

The petitioners believe that Australia is well placed to influence global action on climate change. Additionally, they request that the House of Representatives legislate to introduce the above measures as well as increase the target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 20 per cent by 2020 compared to 2000 levels. I support market mechanisms as the most efficient and effective way to price carbon and reduce emissions and I fully support the sentiments of this petition.

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

This petition of the undersigned citizens of the electorate of lndi in Victoria, draws to the attention of the House the scientific evidence published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which indicates that the Earth will experience disastrous consequences if we do not immediately take action to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit temperature rises to 2 degrees Celsius.

We believe that Australia is well placed to influence global action on climate change if the Parliament of Australia takes the lead by introducing the following measures:

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Representatives legislate to introduce the above measures as well as increasing the target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 20% by 2020 compared to 2000 levels.

from 169 citizens

Petition received.