By James Linn
A new poll has found 64 percent of Australians rank climate change as the greatest threat currently facing the nation, an increase of 18 percent since 2014.
The poll conducted by the Lowly Institute, is the first time climate change has topped the list since the project began in 2006.
This data comes as Australia was ranked 55th out of 60 countries on Germanwatch’s Climate Change Performance Index for the 2nd consecutive year.
Conservation Council of WA spokesman Paddy Cullen, says Australians are finally starting to realise the danger climate change is posing to the country.
“We’re part of a group effort, busy contacting millions of Australians regularly and what we’re finding is, people are finally seeing climate change for the crisis it is,” said Cullen.
“We’re facing the mass extinction of marine life, the wetlands and farming lands, this is an emergency.”
The CCPI points out that there are no plans to phase out coal or introduce renewable energy by 2020 by the current Government, falling further behind progressive nations, like Sweden and Norway.
Ahead of Australia’s upcoming Federal Election, both Labor and the Greens have announced climate policies to reduce carbon emissions by up to 63%.
The Liberal Party trails behind at 23.5 a number that fails to meet the Paris climate signed in April 2016.
Cullen says these policies are having a drastic impact on the public’s perception of the major political parties, something climate deniers within Parliament are choosing to refute.
“After polling 50 electorates, our environmental score cards showed [us] intriguing results,” said Cullen.
“The [Australian] Greens scored 99/100, The Labor party scored 55/100, while The Liberal party scored only 4/100, this says a lot about how we [the public] think.”
Shayna Trubashnik, a former Greenpeace Activist, said things are going to get worse unless immediate action is taken.
“We’re edging close and closer to the edge,” said Trubashnik.
“Things were bad two decades ago [and] it’s not going away.”
“It’s time to call a climate emergency.”