ZALI STEGGALL, OAM, MP
5 STEPS TO NET ZERO
Zali Steggall
AUSTRALIA NEEDS PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP AND A SENSIBLE PLAN TO GET TO NET ZERO EMISSIONS SO WE CAN POSITION OUR ECONOMY FOR SUCCESS, AND SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITIES AGAINST DISASTROUS CLIMATE IMPACTS THAT ARE ALREADY UNFOLDING.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: ZALI STEGGALL, OAM, MP
We are careening from ‘unprecedented’ disaster to disaster, from droughts to fires to floods, with deafening silence from the media and the federal government on the root cause: global warming supercharging these events. Whilst immediate attention is needed on rescue and recovery efforts, we cannot mindlessly sleepwalk to the next disaster. We need to plan for a safer future. It was only recently in early March that we experienced flooding never seen before on the Northern Beaches and surrounding areas. Incredibly, we watched cars marooned in major intersections, torrents of water rushing through local businesses and inundating our civic centres. Like the smoke that choked our cities for months during the terrible 2019-20 summer bushfires, this is a real and present reminder of the impacts of climate change due to global warming we face in Warringah and Australia.
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The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report spells out the compounding and cascading consequences for our community if we fail in our mission to get to a Net Zero economy. Putting aside the environmental and health cost, our local and national economies simply won’t cope with repeated disasters and disruption. The cost of natural disasters is estimated to increase to over $1.2 trillion in the next forty years. Now that’s a number you don’t see front and centre of election debates! It is so important that even amongst the current disaster and recovery efforts, we also focus on solutions and longterm planning. Australia is at the front line of global warming. The IPCC singles Australia out as one of the most climate change vulnerable developed countries in the world. We must better prepare
“Passing the Climate Change Bill that I have introduced to parliament is the very important first step. It has the overwhelming support of every sector from business, industry, academics, unions and community groups as it provides a clear legislated framework with attainable long term targets...” and mitigate by reducing emissions, assessing risks and adapting. The ‘5 Steps to Net Zero’ plan that I have released would position Australia as a global leader, both in keeping its people safe and in riding the wave of economic
