HUNDREDS of Central Victorians have called for government to tackle climate change with any stimulus packages introduced to fight the COVID-19 crash.
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Campbells Creek resident Rob Law is petitioning all levels of government to use injections into the economy to reduce emissions and increase climate change resilience.
He believes ambitious emissions reduction could help lift the state from its coronavirus induced crash.
Mr Law warned of dire consequences if governments globally failed to use the economic moment to tackle climate change.
He said Australia was at an important crossroads with climate change, and governments would not be spending large amounts of public money again for years.
Mr Law said there was a risk government would spend stimulus money on projects that made it harder to address climate change.
"We know that we have less than ten years to really tackle climate change," Mr Law said.
"We need to drastically reduce emissions, and get to net zero emissions as quickly as possible.
"As economies in Australia and around the world are working out ways to really recover from the impacts of coronavirus. Now's a chance to spend that money in a way that makes tackling climate change achievable."
Mr Law said many climate solutions could improve lives.
He suggested investment in fields such as the renewable energy supply chain, or environmental restoration, and electric vehicle infrastructure, could create jobs.
The petition has attracted more than 1,600 signatures in five days.
OTHER NEWS:
Mr Law is head of the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, but began the petition as a private individual.
He hopes for 100,000 signatures.
Petition at: change.org/buildbackbetterOZ
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