Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, Senator Larissa Waters, comments on China's emissions reduction target:

"Instead of playing down China's globally conscious pledge, as Minister Bishop has, the Abbott Government needs to take note and dramatically increase its pathetic level of climate ambition.  

The Australian Greens are calling for urgent investment in Great Barrier Reef water quality following the release of the Queensland Auditor General's report today.

"The Auditor General's damning report must serve as an urgent wake-up call to the Abbott and Palaszczuk governments," Australian Greens Deputy Leader and environment spokesperson, Senator Larissa Waters, said.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate spokesperson, comments on the G7’s agreement to end the fossil fuel era:

“The world wants to put an end to the fossil fuel era and move to the age of renewables.

“But, just as he is on equal marriage and gender equality, Tony Abbott is stuck in the past and is ignoring the fact that Australians want climate action and renewable energy.

"Climate change is the biggest threat the Great Barrier Reef faces and exporting hundreds of mega tonnes of coal through the Reef itself will make it much worse.

"We simply should not be building one of the world's largest coal ports in the Great Barrier Reef in an age of climate change, especially when we have renewable alternatives.

"Renewable energy has the potential to create far more jobs for Queenslanders and the big parties should stop browning down the Renewable Energy Target.

Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Larissa Waters, comments on the International Monetary Fund's estimate of global fossil fuel subsidies:

"It's staggering that governments around the world are propping up the dying fossil fuel industry to the tune of $5.3 trillion each year.

"This equates to $10 million a minute every day of ordinary taxpayers' money being funnelled into worsening climate change.

"Governments could be investing that money into reducing poverty, instead of propping up big mining companies and holding up the transition to renewable energy.

Australian Greens water spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon says the Abbott government's friends in the mining industry will be celebrating today's vote in the Senate in favour of shutting down the National Water Commission.

"As a nation, we are facing major challenges to our water supplies. Mining impacted communities are especially at risk as the process uses vast amounts of water. The National Water commission provided crucial oversight of our water policies," said Senator Rhiannon.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, comments on the Abbott Government excluding Environmental Defenders Offices from its reversal of funding cuts to community legal centres:
"The Abbott Government is adding insult to injury by leaving out EDO from its announcement about funding cut reversals.
"Grassroots community groups face a David and Goliath battle in trying to protect their land, water and climate from big coal and gas.

The Australian Greens will give the Nationals the opportunity to cross the floor on coal seam gas, with a Senate motion for vote tomorrow (Thursday).

"The Nationals say one thing in the community and then do another in Parliament," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens mining spokesperson, said.

"On the Q and A program this week, Nationals Senator Fiona Nash wouldn't answer whether she would cross the floor for a vote on CSG because she said it was a hypothetical question.