Page 2238 - Week 06 - Thursday, 7 June 2018
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As we go about our busy everyday lives it is easy to forget that we are living in a sensitive and finally balanced natural ecosystem. All our actions, individually and collectively, inevitably affect it. Unfortunately, our actions are often detrimental to the natural environment. We pollute it, we use its resources and we disrupt its natural balance.
In the broader sense, the impact of humans on the earth’s environment has not been positive, particularly since the industrial revolution some 250 years ago. Humankind has had a very rapid and damaging impact on the earth’s environment. It is evidenced through all kinds of indicators, from the number of species that have become extinct, to the destruction of natural ecosystems, through to the measurable warming of the planet due to the increased release of greenhouse gases.
We all know about the impacts of human-induced global warming, and there is scientific and on the ground evidence of the dramatic and harmful impacts occurring now on the planet, in our environment and on us as humans. We must do all we can to rise to this challenge to both mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Here in the ACT we have an important role. Not only do we have one of the largest environmental footprints per capita but our per capita contributions to the climate are one of the most significant in the world. We are also one of the best positioned to respond to these challenges. We are one of the most privileged cities in one of the most privileged countries in the world, and we need to respond accordingly.
The Greens and the ACT government are proud that the ACT is at the forefront of climate action in this nation, but there is an enormous amount of work to do. I am pleased that we have set a nation-leading target of zero emissions by 2045. We are on track to achieve the first milestone towards this target, of a 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2020.
Community support for serious climate action is clear, with thousands of people giving some fantastic feedback during recent community consultations. They told us they want the government to take meaningful action on buildings, energy efficiency, green infrastructure and the uptake of electric vehicles.
As transport is expected to make up more than 60 per cent of the ACT’s emissions by 2020, largely from the use of private vehicles, it is the next big sector to tackle when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. Our recently released transition to zero emissions vehicles action plan will support community uptake of zero emission vehicles, including e-bikes, through a wide range of initiatives.
We are progressing ever closer to our goal of 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2020, and with the 28 wind turbines supported by this government at Sapphire Wind Farm starting to power the ACT last month we are a step closer. These turbines are producing enough clean energy to power 48,000 dwellings and have pushed us 12 per cent closer to our renewable electricity target.
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