Beattie's Future Growth Fund ignores climate issues
26 Apr 2006
WWF-Australia has called on the Beattie Government to direct the proposed Future Growth Fund to achieving a holistic approach to water and climate management - one that considers both supply and demand solutions and delivers real reductions in greenhouse emissions.
"Large scale dams can do nothing to guarantee rainfall," said Greg Bourne, WWF-Australia's CEO. "There is no evidence these projects are dealing with the root causes of climate change - the burning of fossil fuels in existing coal-fired power stations."
"Using climate change as a way to sell new dams to the Queensland public could well be seen as political opportunism particularly as the Beattie Government's announcement does not include any mention of clean energy solutions like hydro-electric power generation," said Mr Bourne.
WWF-Australia is also concerned that large infrastructure projects will distract Queenslanders from the need to reduce water consumption.
"The suggestion that new dams and refurbished weirs have the potential to improve Queensland's water security is not well-founded," said Averil Bones, WWF-Australia's Freshwater Policy Manager. "A number of eastern Australia's most reliable dams remain at historically low levels. South east Queensland already has 19 large dams - they have done little to avert the region's water crisis."
"Damming of our remaining free-flowing rivers should not be undertaken lightly. Dams are hugely expensive, environmentally-damaging, and - with climate change looming - they rely on uncertain rainfall and run-off to underpin their effectiveness.
"A billion dollars worth of projects to progress water recycling, to install water collection and saving devices, and to fund incentives for fitting all of SE QLD with water efficient technologies may well save as much water as these dams and weirs are expected to deliver," Ms Bones said.
"The Queensland Government must encourage householders to take ownership of their own water security," Ms Bones said. "They must also guarantee the future of Queensland's iconic freshwater species such as the endangered Mary River Cod and the ancient Queensland lungfish."
Queensland is the only state building new dams for urban developments - dams are seen by other states as old and expensive technology that significantly damages river systems.
"The $300 million marked for dams and weir refurbishment may be better spent on subsidising rainwater tanks for 150,000 south east Queenslanders for better water security outcomes," said Ms Bones.
Find out more
Averil Bones, Freshwater Policy Manager, WWF-Australia
Phone: 02 8202 1289
Mobile: 0437 864 153
