Some argue our aspirations to retain a strong coal mining industry and to do our bit in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions incompatible. I think not.
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A six-year stint in the agriculture portfolio has given me a greater awareness of the impacts of climate change and the need to reduce our carbon and methane emissions. Just last week I was in Stanthorpe, Queensland, where the town is nearly out of water and growers are pulling apple trees out of the ground. There is no rain in sight. The situation here at home is also bad.
Some people still like to argue there is no link between carbon emissions and the changes occurring in our climate. In doing so they are at odds with the overwhelming majority of scientists. But in any case here's a sound principle worth following: if in doubt, act. It may be too late to do so at a later date.
Australia has agreed to do its bit by signing up to a global compact to reduce our share of emissions reductions necessary to keep warming below two degrees. This so-called "Paris" commitment is actually pretty modest and we should be able to do it in a canter. Sadly, the Morrison Government has breached the agreement by allowing our emissions to actually grow. But that's a matter for another day. The key thing is to get our commitment back on track.
Australia's share of emissions is only about 1.3 percent of the global total. So reducing our own emissions will not make a big difference alone but if every country honours its commitment, together we will make a big difference. By exporting our thermal and metallurgical coal we can help others meet their commitments. Developing nations like China and India are developing rapidly and need large amounts of steel and energy to further modernise. Further modernisation will help them make the transition to a cleaner and lower-carbon economy. Remember, it takes 200 tonnes of metallurgical coal and a lot of energy to make one wind turbine.
Further, Australia's coal is relatively clean and efficient compared with the product our customers might otherwise buy from other sources. So by displacing that less efficient coal we are bringing down emissions in other countries.
Closing down our coal industry would deliver a king-hit to our economy but do little for the environment. Our overseas customers would by necessity, simply shop elsewhere.
Here in Australia less of our electricity will come from coal as more and more people put solar panels on their roof tops, more and more investors build large-scale renewables projects and as our coal generators reach the end of their physical lives. For some of our coal generators, that day may be still 20 years away.
Australia can absolutely continue to mine coal and enjoy all the benefits, jobs and wealth it brings, while also holding up our end of the global agreement to reduce emissions.
Back to drought, the Government's response has been inadequate. We've had a drought summit, a Drought Envoy, a Drought Co-Ordinator and a Drought Task Force. The last effort was a Future Drought Fund and many months on we still don't know what it's going to do. But we do know it doesn't come into play until July next year. Seven years into what is possibly our worse drought on record, our farmers and rural communities have been let down.