Walking to Parliament House on the morning of World Environment Day (5 June), a group of concerned Canberra residents hoped to show the government what they think of the proposed CPRS.
Voted through the House of Representatives yesterday, the Rudd Government’s proposed CPRS will allow big companies to go on polluting and won’t reduce Australia’s greenhouse pollution.
Speaking outside Parliament House, local mother of two, Cindy Eiritz, said “Our Government is suggesting a 5-25% reduction in CO2[e] emissions by 2020. It is strongly suggested by the majority of climate scientists that to stop the Earth becoming more than 2c warmer, we need reductions of at least 40-50%.
“Given nearly 75% of our emissions come from the Energy sector, to get this we must invest in renewable energy – and now. We have the technology to do this; the Prime Minister needs to know that we would support his decision if he made this move.
“We can’t allow the government to decide on this without hearing what ordinary Australians think. This is an issue that affects us all, but unfortunately we don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on marketing and we don’t get to have meetings with key government figures.” said Eiritz.
“We can change all the lightbulbs we want, but this isn’t going to make a blind bit of difference if the Government doesn’t make drastic changes to how we create our energy. “
Concerned residents will be walking to Parliament on the 7th of every month in the lead up to the Copenhagen agreement in December 2009.
A World Environment Festival and Climate Change Rally is being held in Garema Place on Saturday 13 June. Local bands Astro-Chem and Pleased to Jive you will be performing from 12.15pm and the rally will commence with scientific speakers from 1pm. It will be a family friendly event with speakers, bands, stalls and performers.
