By Denise Deason
A PETITION urging action on climate change, signed by more than 900 Western suburbs residents and church-goers, was presented to the Member for Lalor and deputy opposition leader Julia Gillard last week.
The presentation was made at Werribee’s Crossroads Uniting Church and included representatives of Sydenham West Uniting Church, Melton Uniting Church and Christ Church Anglican, Melton.
Uniting Church social justice spokesman, Dr Mark Zirnsak, said church people were concerned about climate change.
He emphasised that research by the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology indicated if climate change was not addressed, it would have a negative impact on the lives of millions of Australians, especially farmers.
A likely result is droughts and tropical cyclones will become more frequent and more intense.
The petition calls on the Australian Government to:
• Reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and 60 per cent by 2050.
• Reduce our need for energy.
• Switch our electricity generation to renewable energy, decreasing our reliance on coal.
• Provide further incentives for people to install solar hot water.
Ms Gillard said a Labor government would ratify the Kyoto Protocol and help forge a genuine global consensus to tackle climate change.
“We will set ourselves on a target to reduce emissions, establish an emissions trading scheme, increase household access to solar rebates and make homes more energy efficient,” she said.
“Federal Labor also has a $500 million plan for clean coal, a $500 million plan for Australian-made green cars and has pledged to keep Australia nuclear-free.
“Labor is serious about climate change and committed to facing up to this challenge of the future.”
