Docs urge Australian states to fight for adequate climate policy

Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) is calling on states to reject the National Energy Guarantee (NEG), a “thoroughly bad and cynical proposal”, and together develop an effective national state-based climate policy.

The organisation of medical professionals says in a letter to state prime ministers, territory treasurers and energy and health ministers that the NEG policy should be rejected at the approaching COAG Energy Meeting because of its “egregious denial of action on pollution and global warming and its deleterious effect on Health”.

The NEG, developed by the Energy Security Board (ESB) “in indecent haste”, favours coal and gas while curbing investment in the renewable energy. Citing analysis of the proposed policy, DEA says it is seen to result in less than 28%-36% of renewables in the National Electricity Market (NEM) by 2030, while the share of coal and gas will stand at 64% to 72%. All that will have significant health implications, not only because of air pollution related to the use of fossil fuels and coal mining, but also due to the effects of global warming.

DEA uses states in the US as an example of action that needs to be taken when the federal government’s climate policy is inadequate. The US Climate Alliance was formed by New York, California and Washington immediately after President Donald Trump said in June that the US will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. The number of members has reached 15.

“DEA will continue to argue for rational energy policies, closure of fossil fuel generation and transition to renewable energy because we work for the health and survival of our patients and communities.”

In mid-October the federal government in Australia announced that the country will not adopt a Clean Energy Target (CET) but will go for the “truly technology-neutral” NEG. It will have two components -- a “reliability guarantee” which will ensure that energy retailers deliver enough dispatchable energy from coal, gas, pumped hydro and energy storage systems, and an “emissions guarantee”.

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