CONSERVATION COUNCIL SAYS GOVERNMENT FUNDS FOR BOTH DISASTER RELIEF AND FOSSIL FUEL SUBSIDIES ‘NONSENSICAL’

Conservationists have welcomed the WA state government’s funding announcement for climate-related disaster relief, but say the spending is vastly outweighed by fossil fuel subsidies which exacerbate the problem.

Earlier this month, the state government announced a $38 million boost to natural disaster recovery in WA.

According to Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA) Researcher Liam Lillie, in 2021 and 2022, the government spent $11.6 billion on subsidising fossil fuel companies, which is 305 times more than the relief funding. 

Mr Lillie said that while any money going to relief is good, the spending needs to be put into context. 

“It’s a bit of a contradiction, that you’re trying to adapt to climate change whilst greenlighting fossil fuel projects,” he said.

“It’s increasing carbon emissions and it’s a dangerous and entirely nonsensical proposition that you’re trying to fight something while feeding it at the same time.”

The state government said the spending will fund Western Australia’s biggest-ever dedicated natural disaster recovery team, with $13.4 million committed to funding a task force to manage and support recovery in the Kimberley from the effects of ex-Tropical cyclone Ellie. 

Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said the funding is due to the catastrophic nature of climate change.

“The funding recognises that natural disasters are becoming increasingly frequent and severe in Western Australia,” he said.

“Over the last few years we’ve had the Kimberley floods, we’ve had severe tropical cyclone Seroja, we’ve had the Woorloo bushfires, and a range of other major bushfires throughout the state in regional WA.”