Greens Leader Adam Bandt has called on the government to promise Pacific Leaders that Australia will stop opening coal and gas projects, ahead of the Quad energy meeting with Pacific regional powers in Sydney on Tuesday and the PM’s diplomatic trip to Suva on Wednesday.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said:
“Coal and gas will be the real test for Australia in Pacific diplomacy this week.
“Pacific leaders have been explicit: climate action is key to our nations’ relationship, and climate action means no new coal and gas projects.
“New coal and gas projects mean climate destruction. Our Pacific neighbours are already experiencing turbocharged cyclones, storms, landslides and flooding.
“The floods we’ve seen at home in NSW and QLD are becoming business-as-usual across our region.
“Climate change is the number one national security threat to our region. It’s the foundation for all the relationships between the Pacific, Australia and China.
“The strongest action our new Prime Minister can take for national security is promising our neighbours that we will stop opening new coal and gas projects.”