Fridays for Future call for a green recovery

The youth climate organisation inspired by Greta Thunberg, Fridays for Future Australia, is calling on the Australian government to support a Green Recovery post-COVID19.

The organisation has written an open letter calling on the government to deliver on a number of green projects and policies as part of the recovery efforts. The letter calls for the government to:

• Invest transparently in low-emissions clean industries like the renewable energy sector to create green jobs for Australians, allowing us to meet our Paris Commitments.
  
  
• Eliminate policies based on the approval of fossil fuel projects, subsidies, expansions, bailouts and the removal of environmental regulations from any COVID-19 response. 

William Potter, 18, is a Fridays for Future Australia member from the Blue Mountains.

“Leaked documents from the Federal Government have shown that they are prioritising the gas industry rather than green jobs in clean industries like the renewables sector, which provides cheaper energy, more jobs, and isn’t counterproductive to our Paris commitments,” He said.

“This is unacceptable, especially with climate change still being a significant concern after the record 2019-20 bushfire season.”

Doha Khan, 18, is a member of the organisation that lives in Adelaide.

“The debt being taken on today will have to be paid back by our generation – young people are the ones that are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns,” she said.

“It is outrageous that the government would be burdening us with a debt that is to be used to fund the destruction of our right to a safe climate future.”

A link to the open letter is available here.