Senate debates

Tuesday, 16 October 2018

Motions

Climate Change

4:28 pm

Photo of Larissa WatersLarissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

  (i) that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forecasts that warming of 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels will see the death of 100 per cent of coral reefs globally, and that warming of 1.5°C will see 90 per cent of coral reefs die,

  (ii) that the IPCC forecasts that warming is likely to reach 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels between 2030 and 2052 if it continues at the current trajectory,

  (iii) the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report, released on 18 September 2018, Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Coral Reefs: Update to the First Global Scientific Assessment, which confirms that remaining within 1.5°C climate target is critical for survival of World Heritage-listed coral reefs,

  (iv) the statement by the Chair of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation Board during the Brisbane hearing of the inquiry into the Great Barrier Reef 2050 Partnership Program, that "many reefs around the world are classified as in danger, regardless of whether UNESCO has them listed", and

  (v) that 64 000 people rely on jobs supported by the Great Barrier Reef; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) ban corporate donations to political parties from the fossil fuel industry, an industry which financially benefits from this Government's lack of action on climate change,

  (ii) get a climate policy that limits global warming to 1 degrees to protect the Great Barrier Reef and Australians from extreme weather events, and

  (iii) revoke all federal approvals for the Adani Carmichael mine, and not approve any new coal in Australia.

4:29 pm

Photo of Anne RustonAnne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Th e PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute.

Part 20 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 establishes a disclosure scheme for political donations that promotes transparency. Australia is committed to meeting our strong and responsible targets under the Paris agreement. We take the health of our Great Barrier Reef seriously. We have made the single largest investment by any Australian government in building the resilience of the reef and have a comprehensive and scalable suite of policies to meet our targets. The Carmichael mine went through a rigorous process by the state and federal governments. Investment certainty and jobs rely on predictability and a consistently implemented regulatory system.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Waters be agreed to.