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Zali Steggall to propose Climate Change Bill

Zali Steggall MP intends to put forward a comprehensive Climate Change Bill in early 2020.

Modelled on the United Kingdom’s Climate Change Act, the legislation will set up a framework for Australia to achieve the long term goal of reducing greenhouse emissions and adapting to global warming across sectors including health, transport, agriculture and energy.

“We need to set out a roadmap for Australia to become a low carbon economy without all the fear mongering and misinformation,” Ms Steggall said. “The big question all sensible Australians are asking is how? This is why we need a Climate Change Act to set out a legislative framework.”

Ms Steggall is also calling for an Australian equivalent of the UK’s 2006 Stern Review that resulted in a ground-breaking report quantifying the costs of climate change, mitigation and adaptation to a warming climate for the UK economy.

“We need to know the economic implications of climate change to all sectors of the economy,” she said. “In circumstances where some argue that we should not, or cannot, act, to prevent climate change, then let’s be very clear about the cost of doing nothing or not enough. Business as usual is not a zero sum game.”

The Climate Change legislation would create an independent body that advises on how to most effectively and economically reduce emissions over time across all sectors of the economy and adapt to global warming.

It will also compel the government to yearly mandatory reporting on emission reductions. The legislation follows on from Ms Steggall’s call for a Parliamentary conscience vote for a Climate Emergency.