Climate Council accuses Lib-Nat govt of hiding full extent of climate change

The Climate Council environmental think tank has said the conservative Liberal-National federal government has slashed climate research funding, censored reports showing the extent of the damage and released emissions data at times when the public is distracted.

According to a new report from the Climate Council the government has been accused of going to “extraordinary lengths” to hide the full extent of climate change from the public.

The Climate Council’s Climate Cuts, Cover-Ups and Censorship report found the government had slashed climate science funding, rejected advice from climate bodies, and weakened the nation’s climate science capability by cutting jobs at the CSIRO.

The Climate Council, which includes leading climate scientists among its members, also said Liberal-National policies had “failed” the UNESCO World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.

Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said the report’s findings were shocking.

“I think most Australians would be outraged if they knew the full story,” Ms McKenzie said.

“The coalition government has slashed climate science funding, censored important information and repeatedly made false claims.”

The report was released the day after the first leader’s debate between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten ahead of the May 18 federal election.

Environmental policy has been a defining issue of the campaign to date, with coal-mining protests and debates over water buy-backs occupying much of the discussion.

The Climate Council’s head of research Dr Martin Rice said the government had also been known to deliberately release climate information at the busiest times of the year and block other information from being released altogether.

“The federal government has repeatedly tried to avoid scrutiny by releasing greenhouse gas emissions data just before Christmas or on the eve of football grand finals when fewer people are paying attention,” Dr Rice said.

“The federal government censored a UNESCO report on climate change and World Heritage sites, convincing the UN agency to delete all references to Australia and the Great Barrier Reef.”

While the debate around climate policy continues, the Climate Council’s Professor Will Steffen said the test of good climate policy was simple.

“It must be aligned with the science, it must be clear and effective, and it must deliver greenhouse gas emission reductions consistent with the Paris targets,” Professor Steffen said.

“Our current policy fails on all three counts.”

Australia recently experienced what the Climate Council called its ‘Angriest Summer’ in history.

Ms McKenzie said the effects of climate change were clear in the nation’s increasingly extreme weather conditions.

“Heatwaves have become hotter and last longer, while droughts, intense rainfall and bushfire conditions have become more severe,” Ms McKenzie said.

“As Australians experience escalating consequences into the future, they are likely to view this period of missed opportunities and failed leadership with deep dismay.”