Fossil fuel money is funding renewable energy misinformation

Today in Parliament, Abigail contributed to a debate in support of offshore wind initiatives and called out the conservative parties who peddle misleading claims about the potential environmental impacts of these projects to protect their coal and gas interests.

Abigail said:

There has been extensive misinformation and disinformation peddled by conservatives around the world when it comes to offshore wind. The keen observer will notice the similarities in these campaigns and correctly conclude that there is a lot of fossil fuel money backing them. The fossil fuel industry has long funded misinformation about renewable energy, and offshore wind is the industry's latest target. Several fossil-fuel-funded think tanks promote policy positions supporting fossil fuels and opposing renewable energy. Offshore wind is a renewable resource with the capacity to generate huge amounts of energy 24 hours a day and poses the greatest threat to the continued use of large coal-fired and gas-fired power stations. The links between the fossil fuel industry and seemingly grassroots organisations opposing offshore wind have now been well documented.

Conservatives, like Dutton and the MPs from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, are trying to brand themselves as environmentalists. They peddle misleading industry lobbyist claims about the potential environmental impacts of these projects. What a joke! If they truly cared about the environment, and not just about propping up their own interests in a dying industry, they would stop supporting new coal and gas projects. Local communities are right to ask questions and express concerns about offshore wind infrastructure being built nearby, but those concerns, whether valid or not, are being exploited by fossil fuel servicing networks in an effort to keep people reliant on fossil fuels. Onshore and offshore wind energy has substantial environmental and economic benefits. It does not emit greenhouse gases or pollution; it does not deplete scarce water supplies; and it creates jobs.

There are much worse threats to fishing than offshore wind. Overfishing is the greatest threat to the fishing industry. There are multiple places globally where the fishing industry and offshore wind coexist. Climate change is a major threat to fishing, and offshore wind could help mitigate some of the challenges that it poses for the industry by reducing emissions. There is no evidence to suggest that offshore wind sites have killed or could kill whales. Ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement, on the other hand, are two dangers that do pose significant threats to whales. Climate change is a major threat to the food chain that whales rely on, and offshore wind is part of the solution. Offshore wind turbines are durable and built to last 20 to 25 years on average. More than 80 per cent of turbine components are already recyclable or reusable, and researchers and organisations are working on recycling or reusing wind turbine blades.

In light of emerging social licence issues that are being weaponised by right-wing forces, The Greens are calling on Labor to commit to mandating stronger community benefit sharing measures to deliver much-needed funding to nearby communities as soon as possible. The Greens' support for offshore wind is grounded in the scientific, environmental and economic necessity and desirability of this form of energy generation. Offshore wind carries enormous potential for us to transition away from fossil fuels quickly, which is of course why the fossil fuel industry and their political puppets are fighting so hard to stop it. The Greens support the Government's amendment and will seek to add our own new paragraph (4), which will reflect Labor's own policy platform, as well as the call from Unions NSW to ensure that we have strong community benefit scheme requirements and a secure local jobs code. I move:

That the question be amended by inserting after paragraph (3):

(4) That this House further calls on the Government to:

(a) urgently mandate strong community benefit scheme requirements for all neighbouring communities of large‑scale renewable energy projects; and

(b) introduce a Secure Local Jobs Code applicable to new renewable projects, and mandate local content procurement and manufacturing requirements.

 

The amendments were negatived.

 

Read the full debate in Hansard here.

 

18 September 2024

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