Pirate Party Australia welcomes the upsurge of interest in renewable energy and climate change that the Western Australian Senate Election campaign has generated. An overwhelming 97 percent of climate scientists now believe human activity is causing global warming, and the cost of the failure to act is growing[1]. This is a call to action for all parties and candidates who support science and evidence-based policy making.

Pirate Party Australia endorses a rapid and large investment in renewable energy sources beyond that which is currently proposed[2]. In the absence of such an investment, Pirate Party Australia will firmly defend existing climate change mechanisms including the Renewable Energy Target, the Carbon Tax/ETS, and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Pirate Party candidates will oppose any attempt to undermine or remove any of these instruments.

“Pirate Party candidates stand on the side of science,” said Fletcher Boyd, lead candidate for the Senate in WA. “No Pirate Party candidate will give ground to anti-science and demagoguery.”

“Attempts by the Coalition Government to undermine global negotiations[3] and backslide on targets and commitments have been widely noted. Such actions invite global consequences including reciprocal backsliding from nations such as China.”[4]

Climate change is a threat to our natural heritage and our way of life. The effort to prevent serious action on climate change is not just a rejection of science — it is also a rejection of the precautionary principle and our duty to future generations.

The Commonwealth Parliament has never been more lacking in rationality, decency and scientific literacy. Pirate Party Australia remains optimistic on this issue, believing that there will be a continued growth in the chorus of voices pushing for science-based policymaking.

“Pirate Party Australia is committed to helping overcome this enormous scientific and technological challenge, and harnessing Australia’s potential as a free and flourishing society,” Mr Boyd concluded.

[1] http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus
[2] https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Policies/Energy
[3] http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/australia-canada-block-commonwealth-climate-fund/story-fn59nm2j-1226762200075
[4] http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/china-reconsiders-carbon-tax-citing-australias-planned-repeal-20140313-34nfp.html