SA: Climate charge a bigger threat than terrorism: Rann

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2004
SA: Climate charge a bigger threat than terrorism: Rann

ADELAIDE, Aug 27 AAP - Climate change posed a greater long-term threat to Australia
than terrorism, South Australian Premier Mike Rann said today.

"The metabolism of the world's modern economy is on a collision course with the metabolism
of our planet," Mr Rann said.

"Action on climate change is not just about the environment, it is about economics
and a future for our children.

"In the long term, climate change poses a greater threat to Australia than terrorism."

The premier's comments came ahead of a meeting of Australia's energy ministers in Adelaide today.

Mr Rann also called on Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Mark Latham
to commit to a special Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting on climate change
within three months of the upcoming federal election to set hard targets on emission reductions.

He said climate change had the potential to have a major impact on the daily lives
of all Australians with changes to agricultural production, increased flooding, increased
bushfires, less available water, more air pollution and greater potential for infectious
diseases among the risks.

The premier also called for Australia to sign the Kyoto protocol on climate change.

"For all its flaws we must sign up to Kyoto because is is the only international treaty
there is," he said.

"To attract investment in renewable energy, we need to provide financial incentives
for electricity generators to move away from dirty coal-fired electricity to alternatives
such as biomass, solar, wind energy, hydro and hot rocks.

"Yet the federal government is paralysed.

"It continues to refuse to ratify the Kyoto protocol and the prime minister simply
refuses to discuss Kyoto or greenhouse policy."

AAP tjd

KEYWORD: CLIMATE

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