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| A dry sheep farm in Tasmania in 2011. (ABC News: Cate Grant) |
A signatory to an open letter calling for climate
change action says regional Australia is going to bear the brunt of its
damaging effects.
More than 20 prominent Australian scientists,
community and business leaders signed an open letter in The Age
newspaper on Thursday to declare a climate emergency.The letter was addressed to those appointed to the new Federal Parliament after the July 2 election and called for "an immediate ban on new coal and gas developments" and an "emergency-speed transition" to zero emissions.
Environment Victoria chief executive Mark Wakeham was one of the letter's signatories, who said climate change would devastate rural and regional communities unless political leaders take action.
He believes regional economies are already feeling the effects of a warming climate.
"Places like the Great Barrier Reef or the Murray-Darling Basin are damaged by climate change," he said.
"So we think the next Australian government should be declaring a climate emergency and facing up to the fact that we need a credible plan to deal with global warming."
We need to look at [climate change] as a threat to our existing industries and our existing way of life.Mark Wakeham, Environment Victoria
"We're going to see more frequent and more severe drought but also more frequent and more severe flooding."
He added Australians "needed to stop looking at this as an environmental issue".
"We need to look at it as a threat to our existing industries and our existing way of life."
Mr Wakeham said the Coalition "did not have a credible plan" to reduce emissions, and Labor had "a more credible plan" but, added both parties lacked urgency on the issue.
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