Climate change is the number-one economic and environmental challenge facing communities of the Upper Hunter electorate, so by-election candidates have a duty to explain what policies they support to help this region manage the changes ahead.
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Any candidate who does not have climate change at the top of their platform cannot really claim to represent the interests of the community.
That's because very big economic and structural changes are coming to the Upper Hunter, one way or another.
That could be very positive or very negative. It all depends on how politicians and governments handle it.
This makes it imperative for the candidates in this by-election to outline their vision for a diversified economy for the Upper Hunter that supports all the workers and communities through this transition.
Anything less will sell this community short.
Sadly, policies being put forward by too many candidates are putting the Upper Hunter on the road to ruin by refusing to deal frankly with climate change and the decline of the coal industry.
The coal and electricity generation industries in the Upper Hunter contribute more than any other electorate to pollution in NSW, so they will inevitably play a leading role in slashing our state's emissions.
We recognise that it is unfair to expect people in this region to carry that burden on their own. That's why the Nature Conservation Council is part of the Hunter Jobs Alliance and is calling for the creation of a multibillion-dollar Community and Industry Transition Fund, financed from mining royalties, to help all coal communities.
This fund should be used to establish a Community and Industry Transition Authority that collaborates with all stakeholders - workers, communities, and industry - to develop Community and Industry Transition Plans tailored to their needs.
While climate and coal are clearly significant issues in this by-election, we cannot neglect other environmental challenges facing the Hunter Valley and Liverpool Plains.
These include some of the worst air quality in Australia, continuing deforestation and wildlife habitat destruction across the valley and on the plains, and the desperate state of our rivers.
We have written to all the candidates asking them to declare where they stand on key environmental issues.
We will publish their responses close to election day on May 22.
We have asked candidates to state clearly whether they support or oppose the following 18 measures we consider essential to tackle these pressing problems.
Plan and execute a fast, just and orderly transition away from coal
- Use coal royalties to create a multi-billion-dollar Community and Industry Transition Fund.
- Establish a Community and Industry Transition Authority to collaborate with workers, communities, and industry on Community and Industry Transition Plans tailored to different coal communities.
End the expansion of coal and gas
- Stop releasing farmland and wildlife habitat for coal and gas developments.
- Rescind the recent release of land around Rylstone and Wollar for coal exploration.
- Stop issuing coal and gas exploration and mining licences in the Upper Hunter, Liverpool Plains and Central West.
- Ban new coal mines and gas fields.
Improve local air quality
- Set air quality standards in line with world's best practice and improve air quality monitoring.
- Implement an air-pollution reduction strategy across NSW to improve air quality by slashing emissions.
- Reduce emissions from coal-fired power stations by installing readily available technology, updating pollution licences and improving monitoring.
Protect, restore and reconnect wildlife habitat
- End native-forest logging, a key driver of the decline of koalas and other forest wildlife.
- Stop land-clearing for mining, agriculture and urban development.
- Create a network of revegetated wildlife corridors through the Hunter and Liverpool Plains.
- End the use of biodiversity offsets, except in exceptional circumstances.
- Ban the burning of native forests for electricity and reject the proposed recommissioning of Redbank Power Station to burn forest biomass.
Restore rivers and wetlands
- Mandate environmental flows to keep our rivers healthy.
- Tighten the water-use monitoring regime to end water theft and give certainty to all water users.
- Enforce the law regarding floodplain harvesting, and ensure all floodplain harvesting regulations guarantee sustainable water flow for river health and downstream communities.
- No new dams.
Chris Gambian is the chief executive of the NSW Nature Conservation Council
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