Tuesday, 10 September 2019

 Dr RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (13:47): The courageous young people who are bringing the world together on 20 September for the Global Climate Strike want three things: one, no new coal, oil and gas projects, including the Adani mine; two, 100 per cent renewable energy generation and exports by 2030; three, fund a just transition and job creation for fossil fuel industry workers and communities. These young people are pleading with us to protect the earth that they will inherit, because the world looks set to be trashed by the current generation in charge, including many of those sitting in this chamber today. Queensland is reeling from catastrophic fires that have begun in spring, burning through rainforest. Hurricanes have ripped through Central America, and the world is starting to join the dots. These weather extremes were predicted by climate scientists over a decade ago. They warned us that if we did not bring down carbon emissions this is the future we would face.

These young people are right to strike. They want to mobilise like we have never seen before because their futures and their lives are at stake. Imagine facing a world of rising temperatures that will affect all life, where rising sea levels will wipe out whole island countries, where mass extinction events will risk over a million species of plant and animal life, where cities will become unlivable heat islands. Imagine knowing that the adults in charge did nothing to stop this. Imagine knowing instead that those same adults pandered to the fossil fuel lobby and their corporate mates as they shouted down the young people who dared to care. Step into their shoes for a minute and you will get it. All power to you, climate strikers. You are our hope and our future, and I will see you next Friday.