Protect the Renewable Energy Target
Six weeks ago Australia's big polluters succeeded in killing our price on carbon pollution and now they're after the Renewable Energy Target.
The Renewable Energy Target commits Australia to achieving 20% of our energy through solar, wind and other renewables by 2020. And it's working, creating jobs and cutting pollution.
But companies like Origin, AGL and EnergyAustralia want to cut the target. They don't like too much renewable energy in the mix because they rake in billions of dollars from their dirty coal-fired power stations. So they're lobbying the federal government to water down, or worse scrap, the Renewable Energy Target. If they win, we lose.
They claim our power bills will go down if the government slashes the target. They said the same thing about the carbon price and when it was repealed — power bills didn't go down.
It's pretty clear by now that we shouldn't listen to Australia's biggest polluters when it comes to the cost of electricity and our clean energy future.
If we lose the Renewable Energy Target it will be another blow to Australia's fight to tackle pollution. Enough is enough, we cannot let this happen.
Tell the big energy companies they need to stop campaigning to make billions of dollars more profiting from the dirty problem and start investing in clean solutions instead, starting with their support for the Renewable Energy Target
Will you join us in writing to the three big polluters?
Dear Brooke Pearson Origin, Clare Savage EnergyAustralia, Grant King Origin, Origin Board, Tim Nelson AGL,
I was appalled to hear that Origin, AGL and EnergyAustralia want to scrap or weaken the Renewable Energy Target.
You claim our power bills will go down if the government slashes the target. But this is not true. The RET is working to drive investment in renewables, reduce carbon emissions and create a healthy Australia for us and future generations.
Independent modelling by Jacobs found that if the RET remains in place, renewable energy could contribute about 28 per cent of Australia's electricity and reduce carbon pollution by 40 million tonnes by 2020.
Reducing or scrapping the RET is a backward step at the expense of the wider community.
With the price on pollution gone, the Renewable Energy Target is the best tool to cut Australia's carbon pollution.
I want a healthy future for us and future generations. I urge you to stop investing in the problem and start investing in solutions starting with your support for the RET.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
