A coalition of environment groups has released a joint letter calling on the Queensland Government to urgently improve its emissions reduction targets following today’s declaration that Australia will face hotter and drier conditions as a result of an El Niño event this summer.

The joint letter – signed by 14 groups representing more than 931,500 Queenslanders – calls on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to strengthen Queensland’s emissions reduction targets to at least 60% by 2030, 70% by 2032 and 90% below 2005 levels by 2035.

These targets would bring Queensland in line with the ambition of other states and closer to what climate science shows is the minimum required for Queensland to do its part to hold warming to 1.5°C.