Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP has welcomed hints that the Labor Party is considering the long-standing Greens call to sign Joe Biden’s ‘Methane Pledge’ to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030, but said it could only be met by halting massive new gas projects like Betaloo and Scarborough. Further, existing projects simply ‘offsetting’ their emissions would not be enough to meet the pledge, said Mr Bandt.

During the Climate Change Bill negotiations, the Greens secured a commitment from the government to look at the destructive practice of burning wood from native forests and counting it as renewable energy under Federal legislation. The practice was legislated under Tony Abbott and was opposed by the Greens and Labor at the time.

The Greens Industry, Transition and Regional Development spokesperson and Gladstone local, Senator Penny Allman-Payne, will give notice of a Bill to establish a National Energy Transition Authority in the next sitting of Parliament.

The announcement comes after climate bill negotiations between the Greens and government, during which the government undertook to consider the Greens’ proposal for a statutory transition authority to support coal and gas communities and give them control over their futures as Australia tackles the climate crisis. 

On the Climate Change Authority Report into the international offsets market released today, attributable to Greens leader Adam Bandt MP:

“The government must reject international offset accounting tricks.

“This Morrison-era report, commissioned by Angus Taylor to justify his government's Paris accounting tricks, should be binned.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt speaking at the National Press Club today, confirmed that following negotiations with the Labor government which led to improvements to the climate bill and a commitment to pursuing other matters further, the Greens would support its passage through the Parliament.

Mr Bandt confirmed the focus would now shift to stopping new coal, oil and gas projects which would blow the government’s weak climate targets.

The Australian Greens Party Room has met and had its first discussion regarding the government's Climate Change Bill and has empowered Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP to enter formal negotiations with the government on the Bill.

Areas of concern remain the adequacy of the target, the need for targets to be ratcheted up and for the bill to operate as a floor not a ceiling, the lack of enforcement mechanisms, and new coal and gas projects that would lift pollution.

Responding to the Prime Minister’s attempts to rewrite history and issue ‘take it or leave it’ ultimatums to the Parliament, Greens Leader Adam Bandt has warned that the Prime Minister risks misreading the national mood for co-operation on climate.

Mr Bandt added that Labor needs to understand its vote went backwards at the election and that while the government has a slim majority in the Lower House, the Greens also have an increased mandate in the Senate, and that the government risks creating 3 years of conflict by starting with belligerence.

Australia must walk the talk on climate commitments in the Pacific this week by stopping new coal and gas projects, the Greens have warned, after details of a Communique agreed to by Australia indicate commitments that are undermined by Australia’s actions.

Lines attributable to Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:

“Australia must walk the talk on climate in the Pacific this week by stopping new coal and gas projects.

“If we don’t change course on coal and gas, big talk will mean nothing to our regional neighbours.

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.

Lines attributable to Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:

“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.

After the first National Cabinet meeting under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today, Greens Leader Adam Bandt said National Cabinet failed to address the dual crises of climate and cost of living by setting a more ambitious climate target, getting the country off coal and gas and unwinding the privatisation of Australia’s energy system.