30 Sept 2021
117 BUSINESSES ARE CALLING FOR AUSTRALIA TO BECOME A RENEWABLES NATION
117 Australian businesses are calling on the Australian Government to harness the unique opportunities Australia has to become a world-leading Renewable Energy Export Superpower in a joint letter to Scott Morrison.
In the last 18 months, Australian businesses have faced unprecedented uncertainty and hardship. But what we’ve seen, is that when businesses thrive, so does the whole of Australia.
For Australia’s economy to grow and for businesses to prosper into the future, we cannot risk being left behind if we do not join the rest of the world racing to grow their renewable industries.
Australia already has a natural head start in a global renewable-powered economy. We have some of the best wind and solar resources in the world, abundant land and the critical minerals needed to make renewable energy technologies such as batteries. We also have the skills, expertise and strong trading relationships needed to develop a thriving clean energy export industry. However federal government action is critical to unlocking Australia’s renewable advantage. We are already being outspent as other global economies invest at a rate far greater than us.
It doesn’t matter how we start the race, it only matters how we finish it.
That's why we're calling on the Australian Government to step up and announce the vision, policies and investment we need to position ourselves as a world-leading renewable energy exporter at the upcoming Climate Change Conference of Parties in Glasgow (COP26). Specifically, we’re calling on the federal government to commit to:
- Creating Regional Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts: to enable clusters of traditionally hard-to-decarbonise industries to be powered with renewables and clean heat.
- Developing Bold Renewable Export Plans: that put us on a path to creating enough renewable energy to power our domestic needs with enough left over to sell to our neighbours.
- Delivering a Fair Transition: ensure First Nations, workers and regional communities benefit from the renewables race.
Serious action on climate change looks like taking these steps to ensure Australia can become a renewable superpower.