The Tasmanian Greens believe that rapidly increasing climate change is an undeniable fact.  Based on reputable scientific measurements and mathematical modelling, we also assert that a significant contribution to that change is human-made.

We further believe that the human-made contribution to current climate change, if left unchecked, has the potential to make it irreversible.  Humankind, however, has the capacity to avert catastrophic environmental damage before it nears any critical point of irreversibility.  Despite being a global problem, it will be the concerted efforts at a regional and local level that reverse the human-made contribution to climate change.

Tasmania is well placed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to provide an example, nationally and internationally, of how climate change can be addressed, how its impact can be lessened, and how any necessary adaptation to it can provide economic and social advantages.  Early action to reduce pollution will be less costly than delaying action, so any positive, early measures this state takes can be exported as intellectual property or technological skill.

For the Tasmanian Greens, these beliefs underpin every measure in every policy area upon which climate change impacts.  Where climate change is not mentioned directly in a policy, it still forms the background against which all measures are proposed.

The Tasmanian Greens believe that Tasmania can become self-sustaining in clean energy and in food, and that the changes needed to achieve this can make us healthier, fitter people and help to build strong, vibrant communities.

Measures

Legislation and Regulation:  create the ministerial portfolio of Minister for Climate Change;  enact legislation that specifically addresses the issue of climate change in the areas of environment, planning, industry, finance, energy, transport, agriculture and waste;   ensure that all future legislation in every policy area takes the impact on climate change into account;  word all relevant regulation in a way that prepares citizens for the impact of climate change;   direct the transition to a low carbon economy through regulatory mechanisms which reflect the real cost of greenhouse gas emissions;  redirect incentives, subsidies and government support from research or development of fossil fuel energy projects towards projects which are low carbon emitting, energy efficient and utilise renewable and environmentally benign fuels;  preference carbon efficient passenger and utility vehicles in government procurement policies

Energy:   convert all energy, fuel and power supply to benign, renewable, low emission sources as a matter of priority;  plan for net zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as is feasible but no later than 2030 with a minimum of 40% reduction on the state’s 1990 levels by 2020;  subject all energy production and distribution projects to a planning assessment process that takes their environmental and social impacts into account;   mandate that all future energy production projects are ecologically benign and sustainable;  introduce strict minimum energy performance standards for all products, buildings and infrastructure;   reverse the state’s increasing demand for energy through demand management practices, and increased efficiency of production, supply, distribution and end use

Equity:  distribute the cost of reducing emissions and adapting to climate change fairly between the state, citizens and business; negotiate with the federal government about the acceptance of those people displaced by climate change;   address the social impacts of the transition to a low carbon economy  

Business:  introduce measures including gross feed-in tariffs to support prospective new renewable energy technologies;  factor in the energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission levels of all businesses who tender for or supply products or services to the state government, state government projects, and local council initiatives; ensure that energy price subsidies are not used to attract or retain energy intensive or high emission industries;  support and promote businesses that research or develop software or technology that reduces greenhouse gas emissions or combats climate change, especially where their intellectual property or technology is exportable; oppose the establishment of any fossil fuel-fired power station, new coal mine or the expansion of an existing mine;  ensure that companies are financially responsible for the risks of greenhouse gas leakage;  support the development of distribution networks for transitional and sustainable alternative fuels

Education:  emphasise the consequences of climate change by its inclusion in science and social science curricula;   increase community awareness of the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by publicising simple and cost-effective emission mitigation options;   promote public education campaigns on the need to plan for future climate change.