coolmelbourne.org

The Australian Conservation Foundation has been busy busting the big climate change myths that our big polluters wheeled out to our government heads before they set off to Copenhagen to be a part of the international climate change negotiations happening there in December.    
   
What kind of myths are we talking about?

Firstly: “Tackling climate change will cost jobs in coal mining and power, petroleum, cement, steel and aluminium industries.” The ACF busts this myth, instead citing recent CSIRO research that suggests that Australia can move to a carbon neutral economy by 2050 and still grow 2.7 million new jobs by 2025. This will include 590,000 jobs in high environmental impact industries. The truth is that moving to a low carbon economy will actually help Australia’s workforce to grow.

Secondly: “Reducing greenhouse pollution will ruin the economy”. This myth also gets busted. This time the ACT cites research by the Treasury that states that if Australia reduces greenhouse pollution by 25% by 2020 and 90% by 2050 our GNP per person will continue to grow – 9% higher (than 2008 levels) by 2020 and 55% higher by 2050.

The third myth to get busted: “We should wait until we know what the rest of the world will do. Acting alone is bad for business.” A European Commission study released in June (2009) says    
that 2.8 million jobs could be created under European renewable energy targets for 2020. According to a joint study by the ACF and ACTU Australia’s green industries could employ 850,000 people in just six green industries by 2030.

Oi Big Polluters – you’re busted!

Click here to visit the ACF website to find out more.