In response to news that the Crisafulli government plans to review Queensland's climate targets and will keep coal-fired power stations open for longer, the Australian Conservation Foundation's climate and energy program manager Gavan McFadzean said:
"To walk back climate targets would be an irresponsible, short-sighted move by the Crisafulli government, which was voted into office just six months ago supporting a bi-partisan target to cut Queensland's emissions by 75% by 2035.
"Cyclone Alfred, recent floods in the north and west of the state and the regular bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef are stark reminders of how Queensland's natural environment and the lives of Queenslanders are under intense pressure from climate change, fuelled by the burning of coal and gas.
"Tragically, Queenslanders are becoming used to extreme weather events in their daily lives.
"Keeping coal plants like Callide B open longer will only make these events more severe, widespread and frequent.
"Queenslanders who voted for the LNP just six months ago thinking the party was going to take climate change seriously will rightly feel betrayed today.
"Back-tracking on climate targets would be a broken promise and a betrayal of trust.
"Queensland's economy is reliant on resource extraction, nature-based tourism and agriculture, making it highly vulnerable to climate change.
"Queensland pays more for extreme weather than any other state.
"It is shocking that Queensland's chief financial officer – the Treasurer – doesn't seem to recognise the deep economic impacts of inaction on climate change."
