A James Cook University study out today shows Australians care deeply for our Great Barrier Reef and are concerned about its future.

"Australians have every right to be concerned about the future of our treasured Great Barrier Reef," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, said.

The Australian Greens are concerned Labor is using consultations with business as an excuse to water down its climate pollution reduction targets. 

"There's no arguing with the science, which is clear on the need for deep pollution cuts to avoid catastrophic global warming and economic shocks," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, said.

"Labor's current draft target for 2030 is at the bottom of the range proposed by the Climate Change Authority for a two-thirds chance of avoiding 2 degrees warming

The Australian Greens condemn Minister Hunt's approval of the Queensland Labor Government's plan for a massive coal port in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area at Abbot Point.

"Minister Hunt's dangerous decision is bad news for our Reef, jobs and the climate," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, said.

"The damage ticked off on today includes dredging 1.1 million cubic metres of the Reef floor which will mobilise about 10,000 tonnes of fine sediment, smothering seagrass habitat for dugongs and turtles.

A poll, released today, shows Queenslanders love the Great Barrier Reef and believe the dying coal industry should be made to clean up its own mess, instead of leaving taxpayers to foot the bill.  

The Essential Research poll of 1000 Queenslanders conducted in November found:  

The Australian Greens condemn the Liberal Government's plan to allow companies to brand the Great Barrier Reef.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, said: "What's next, naming rights, like for football stadiums?

"While private donations for Reef protection are welcome they shouldn't be in exchange for advertising rights and they must be on top of adequate public funding, not in place of it.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens climate change and environment spokesperson, comments on the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook:

"The Liberal Government is cutting climate and environment programs but keeping the spurious Wind Farm Commissioner.

"The outlook confirms the Renewable Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, which makes money for taxpayers, are still on the chopping block, despite the government's talk about innovation.

The Palaszczuk Government needs to back up its rhetoric about the merged Energex and Ergon business using clean energy technology in Townsville.

"Queensland can be a  renewable energy powerhouse and Townsville has the potential to lead the nation in baseload solar power," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, said.

"Townsville is connected to the National Electricity Market and has outstanding capacity for solar energy with abundant sunshine above the threshold typically required to solar thermal power stations, even during winter.   

The Palaszczuk Government's budget review is deluded in predicting coal royalties will return to levels only seen at height of the mining boom.

"The Palaszczuk Government is deluded for thinking it can bank on coal into the future," Senator Larissa Waters Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, said.

The budget review forecasts $2.4 billion in coal royalties in 2018-19 - the same amount collected in 2011-12.

Premier Palaszczuk's comments on ABC last night that Queensland will always be reliant on coal and her go-slow on the Queensland Renewable Energy Target are at odds with the Paris agreement.

"The Labor Government is proving just as bad as Campbell Newman's when it comes to pushing ahead with new coal mines and they're failing to keep their promises to support renewable energy," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, said.  

"In the lead up to the state election, Labor promised action on a Queensland Renewable Energy Target of 50% by 2030.

• Reference to a 1.5 degree limit will require countries to ratchet up targets
• Australia will now need to rapidly transition from coal to renewables
• Agreement to $100 billion in finance for developing countries to develop via low carbon economies

The Australian Greens welcomed the announcement by world leaders that a framework agreement to tackle global warming has been reached in Paris, but urged the work has just begun towards averting the catastrophic impacts of global warming and transforming the global economy.