Letter to the editor: immigration and emissions

July 24, 2008

MONASH University social scientist Bob Birrell's observations (The Age, 23/7) are undeniable. Australia's immigration adds to both Australia's and global greenhouse gas emissions because people generally move from low per capita emitting countries to high per capita emitting countries — in this case Australia.

The Government is wasting its energy working in two opposing directions. It strenuously promotes economic and population growth while working on an economic strategy to mitigate the increased emissions of a growing volume of inherently carbon-emitting business activities.

A good federal government would try to direct this country towards sustainability by moderating migrant numbers (other than humanitarian and refugee intakes) and by concentrating on the long-term security of basic requirements for its citizens — food, water and shelter.

Jill Quirk, East Malvern