Federal Coalition’s nuclear scheme no plan to reduce climate pollution
At the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into Nuclear Power hearing in Sydney on Thursday, Solutions for Climate Australia Director Dr Barry Traill will highlight the fact nuclear reactors in Australia would not deliver the rapid reductions in climate pollution needed - and in fact would contribute to climate pollution simply through the time it would take to get this scheme up and running in a country which has no nuclear industry.
“Strong and effective climate policy needs to deliver rapid reductions in climate pollution. With its nuclear scheme, the federal Coalition would extend the life of ageing and polluting coal power stations and significantly increase the use of gas for electricity generation to maintain supply until nuclear reactors could feasibly come online.
“That approach would conservatively produce at least 2.3 billion tonnes of additional carbon emissions between now and 2052 compared to the current trajectory of reductions carefully assessed by the Australian Energy Market Operator. That extra pollution is five times Australia’s current annual emissions,” said Dr Traill.
Dr Traill doesn’t just come to these conclusions as a scientist, but also as a volunteer firefighter impacted by climate-driven disasters.
“These aren't just irrelevant numbers on climate pollution. Every tonne of climate pollution increases the risk to life and livelihood.
“I am a volunteer firefighter in Queensland. I was nearly seriously injured or killed in the Black Summer fires in NSW while on deployment from Queensland. Two friends and their partners died in the horrendous Black Saturday fires in Victoria in 2009 which killed 174 people in one day. I have friends and colleagues who have lost their homes to fires and floods in the last decade. This is not just my isolated personal experience. Tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of Australians have personally experienced similar levels of loss and grief from climate disasters in recent years.
“The Federal Liberal and National Parties and their individual MPs have a deep duty to protect Australian lives and livelihoods. That means reducing climate pollution now, not in more than a decade’s time.”
ENDS
For interview:
Director of Solutions for Climate Australia Dr Barry Traill: 0448 793 334