Community roadshows help Queenslanders prepare for climate change

The Palaszczuk Government is helping Queenslanders take action on climate change with a series of workshops that will be rolled out over the next month across the state.

Environment Minister Steven Miles said the first round of roadshows would kick off at the Gold Coast on Wednesday 27 September 2017 and finish off in Brisbane on Tuesday 17 October.

“Tackling climate change is vital for protecting our iconic places, including the Great Barrier Reef.

“The Palaszczuk Government has a target of zero net emissions by 2050 – which sends a clear message that Queensland will be a leader in the low carbon economy.

“This will attract new investment and industries to our state, ensuring sustainable jobs for Queenslanders into the future.

“We are already experiencing the impacts of a changing climate.

“We are seeing higher temperatures, harsher fire weather, changes to rainfall patterns, more frequent sea-level extremes and more severe storms.

“That’s why the time to act is now. We need to take action to adjust our behaviours, and make smarter lifestyle choices so that we can collectively make a difference.”

Following the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, countries are moving to reduce pollution and adopt low-carbon alternatives.

“We visited a wide range of regional communities last year to consult with people on what they wanted in terms of climate change policy in Queensland,” Mr Miles said.

“Overwhelmingly, they asked for us to show leadership.

“They saw the agriculture sector and our coastal communities as particularly vulnerable.

“And that’s why much of our focus is on supporting local governments through programs such as the $12 million QCoast2100 fund - because they have so much responsibility when it comes to disaster response planning.”

Since releasing the Queensland Climate Transition Strategy and Climate Adaptation Strategy in July 2017, a suite of initiatives has rolled out, including:

• The launch of the Electric Vehicle Superhighway
• an industry summit on carbon farming opportunities for Queensland
• sponsorship of the 2017 Global Business Challenge to encourage innovation in renewable energy.    

The Climate Change community information sessions will be held at:

Gold Coast – Wednesday 27 September

Toowoomba – Thursday 28 September

Gympie – Friday 29 September

Gladstone – Wednesday 4 October

Mackay – Thursday 5 October

Townsville – Tuesday 10 October

Cairns – Wednesday 11 October

Brisbane – Tuesday 17 October

A second round of information sessions will take place in the coming months in western Queensland and remote communities.

Spaces are limited, so registration is vital. For more information or to register your attendance at a local event, click here.

For more information on the Queensland www.qld.gov.au/environment/climate/climate-change

ENDS

Media contact: Alison Brown - 3719 7336