A survey has found not only do most Australians want to maintain the nation’s Renewable Energy Target, a majority want to see it set higher.
A related report to be released on Monday by the Climate Institute states the number of people supporting an RET of 20 per cent and above has risen to 71 per cent this year. Just 9 per cent want to see the target reduced or abolished altogether.
76 per cent believe state governments should be putting in place incentives for more renewable energy.
On Sunday, the Climate Institute kicked off a last-ditch campaign dubbed Stop The Dinosaurs, urging Parliament to take note of public sentiment and key facts and save not only the Renewable Energy Target, but also carbon laws.
One of the high-profile people supporting the campaign is former Liberal Party leader Dr John Hewson.
“From 2010 to 2012, Australians were subject to a historic scare campaign about the impacts of the carbon laws, but it is quite clear now that these laws are not a ‘wrecking ball’ or ‘python squeeze’,” said Dr. Hewson.
“The fact is that since the carbon laws were enacted, Australia’s pollution has been reduced by millions of tonnes and the economy has grown. Average households are not worse off as many feared they could be.”
The survey also indicates the Prime Minister’s claimed commitment to battling climate change isn’t believed by many Australians.
“Only 20 per cent trust Tony Abbott when he says he is concerned about addressing climate change, in contrast to 53 per cent who do not, including 37 per cent who strongly distrust the Prime Minister,” states The Climate Institute.
82 per cent of Australians choose solar power in their top three energy sources and 64 per cent choose wind. Coal, recently referred to by the Prime Minister as one of “nature’s gifts“, was even less popular than nuclear.
“It is OK to like dinosaurs, but this year’s Climate of the Nation survey shows that it may well be politically dangerous to be one when it comes to climate change and its solutions,” said John Connor, CEO of The Climate Institute.
The full Climate of the Nation 2014 report will be available at 11am on Monday from the Climate Institute web site.
