The Australian Greens say the Howard Government should implement essential structural changes to Australia's economy in response to the findings of the UN IPCC report released in Brussels last night - or step aside.

"This is a self-made crisis, unprecedented in global human history, and it requires intelligent behavioural change beyond the capability of our current leaders," Greens leader Senator Brown said.

Greens Leader Bob Brown has written to Prime Minister John Howard offering him a free seat at next Wednesday's National Press Club speech by former World Bank Chief Economist, Sir Nicholas Stern.
 
Stern's economic assessment of the threat of climate change galvanised world attention a few months back.
 

The transition to 'clean coal', advocated by Prime Minister Howard, will cause huge job losses and economic dislocation the Greens said today.  
Last week, Greens Leader Bob Brown called for three years to be taken to plan a transition from coal exports and to reduce emissions in Australia. This was rejected by Mr Howard.
 
Echoing comments by Australian of the Year Professor Tim Flannery yesterday, Senator Brown and Greens Energy spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said 'clean coal' technology cannot be used to convert Australia's existing 35 power stations.

Labor, and the government, should put a performance test on politicians before demanding more testing of Australia's teachers, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
 

The Ipsos Mackay poll putting the Greens ahead of the major parties on management of climate change is voter recognition of the Greens' serious credentials for tackling the issue, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.  

Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell's blunder at climate change talks in Nairobi has seriously chilled relationships with China and India, Greens Energy Spokesperson Christine Milne said today.
 
Senator Milne, who is in Nairobi, said that Senator Campbell's statement that China was destined to become the world's biggest polluter had sent a chill through the meeting. The Chinese delegation diplomatically responded by listing the nation's renewable energy and fuel efficiency targets and other measures which are way ahead of Howard government thinking.
 

It is clear from Treasurer Peter Costello's interview on Lateline last night that the government is ignorant of the Kyoto process, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
 
 "What the government is proposing with 'New Kyoto' is in fact exactly the same as the Kyoto protocol as it now stands. New Kyoto is a furphy," said Senator Brown.
 

Australia's new pact with Indonesia fails to mention, let alone highlight, the importance of energy security and climate change, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
 
"The government's disarray is on full show as Mr Downer flies to Lombok for a treaty ignoring climate change and Mr Howard flies to Hanoi claiming he'll make climate change the issue for the region."
 

"The Minister for the Environment's bill to emasculate key safeguards in the Environment, Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) is to be fast tracked. And this nation's environment laws will continue to totally ignore climate change," Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.  
"The EPBC amendment bill ignores calls to include a trigger for greenhouse gas emissions, a requirement that the minister vet proposals which may accelerate global warming," Senator Brown said.
 
"But today, the Minister moved to fast-track the bill in 2 weeks' time."
 

In his statement today on monetary policy Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens confirmed that the RBA has "taken careful note of the likely economic effects of drought". The current drought and reduced rainfall patterns, are exacerbated by climate change.
 
"Climate change is going to drive up the costs of food, the costs of fuel and the costs of water. The Howard Government likes to talk about its record on fighting inflation, yet it has failed to tackle the number one long run cause of increased cost of living in Australia," said Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown.