Tony Abbott's speech to the National Press Club today outlining his ‘Plan for a Stronger Economy and a Stronger Australia' should be judged against the very basic standards for sustainable economies set out in last night's report of the UN Secretary General's High-level Panel on Global Sustainability, the Australian Greens said today.
At the same time, Kevin Rudd's own actions both when he was Prime Minister and when he campaigns in the Queensland election must be judged by the same standards set out in the report he was involved in preparing.
"This high-level group of world leaders and ministers has confirmed once again what scientists and economists have known for a generation now - that a strong economy is dependent on a healthy environment," Australian Greens Acting Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
"Tony Abbott's ‘Plan for a Stronger Economy' needs to be judged against the very basic standards like phasing out wasteful and damaging fossil fuel subsidies, putting a price on pollution, doubling the rate of energy efficiency and moving towards clean, renewable energy.
"Unless he looks towards putting our economy onto a sustainable footing, he will join the list of last-century ‘leaders' who are condemning our economy to failure in the 21st century.
"Kevin Rudd, who was involved in preparing this UN report, also needs to be judged by the same standards and will come up very short indeed.
"Mr Rudd cannot get away with grandstanding about sustainability on the world stage while travelling around Queensland campaigning for more coal mines, more coal exports and more coal seam gas. As Prime Minister, Mr Rudd continued fossil fuel subsidies and developed a failed emissions trading scheme that would have locked in coal power for many years.
"Tragically, this hypocrisy is writ large across most of those involved in the UN report. World leaders put their names to these reports while blocking progress in global climate negotiations and doing little at home to shift their economies onto sustainable footings.
"This is why Greens parties are growing rapidly around the world: because social justice and sustainability are at the heart of Greens politics; because our politics is based on the premise that you cannot have a healthy economy and society unless you have a healthy environment; because we understand that the Earth has limits.
"While last-century politicians continue to mouth principles of sustainability while governing in the opposite direction, their parties will continue to fade while Greens parties continue to grow."
