Queenslanders gathered in force today outside a public inquiry at the Hotel Grand Chancellor into nuclear energy generation, demanding an end to nuclear "delay tactics" that block urgent climate action.

With storm season looming and Queensland already feeling the brunt of escalating climate impacts, protesters spoke against nuclear as a dangerous, costly distraction that will halt genuine progress towards climate action.

The Queensland Conservation Council today welcomes the Queensland LNP to Government, and calls on them to follow through with environmental commitments made to voters in the lead up to the election.

Queensland's peak conservation group says that the victory was possible because the LNP agreed to a number of key environmental initiatives, including the 75% by 2035 emissions reduction target, expanding protected areas, and a commitment not to weaken land clearing laws.

See the full scorecard and read the analysis behind the grades

It's the end of the school term in Queensland politics, and time to hand out report cards. A new scorecard shows the Queensland Labor Party would significantly outperform the Queensland Liberal National Party on climate action and protecting habitat and threatened species if elected on October 26.

Queensland's peak environment body, the Queensland Conservation Council, today released a scorecard based on analysis of the key political parties' environmental policies and initiatives, finding the ALP scored a B+ while the LNP received a C for their policies on taking action on climate change and protecting nature.

The Greens topped the scorecard with an overall ranking of an A, whereas the Katters received a D; a score given when policies reverse or undermine progress.

An alliance of more than 20 community, environment, faith and industry groups have joined together to publish an open letter in The Courier-Mail calling for energy policy certainty from all major political parties.

Queensland Conservation Council has joined groups including the Smart Energy Council, Anglican Church Southern Queensland, Australian Marine Conservation Society, Uniting Church Queensland Synod, and Australian Conservation Foundation asking for all parties and candidates running in the Queensland election to commit to an energy transition plan with clear timelines.

The open letter signed by more than 20 community groups, is below.

Queensland Conservation Council Director Dave Copeman said:

This open letter shows the depth and breadth of diverse community support for a well-planned transition to renewable energy.

More than 20 community, environment and faith groups have signed on calling for energy certainty that will deliver our bipartisan emissions reduction target of 75% by 2035.

Queensland has one of the most comprehensive energy transition plans in the country and we’re currently on track to reach our renewable energy targets.

The last thing we need right now is chaos and uncertainty that will undermine investor confidence, delay vital planning, and leave consumers exposed to high power bills.

We join these groups in calling on our political leaders to commit to a well-planned, swift transition to cheap, safe renewable energy to keep power prices down and protect Queensland jobs and communities.

The Queensland Conservation Council urges the Government to ensure that the impact of climate change is a key focus within the Federal Government investigation into the nation's emergency warning system, triggered by heightened scrutiny over announcement delays from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). 

Dave Copeman says "Australia is facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change, and our emergency systems must adapt to these new realities. We know that as the climate warms, extreme weather events become both more intense and more unpredictable. 

What we have seen in Cairns and the Gold Coast are clear examples of this. The inquiry is an essential step in ensuring that our emergency warning system is responsive to current challenges, but it also needs to ensure that it can handle the increased uncertainty and amplified risks posed by a changing climate". 

Climate change has been missing from the public discussion about these disasters, by political leaders and media reports, and yet the lessons for how we report and respond to these must be informed by climate science. 

We call on the Government to take a holistic approach, where the inquiry includes the impact on a changing climate into the core of emergency warning systems and response strategies.”

With it predicted that Australian households will be paying $35.24 billion every year for the direct costs of extreme weather by 2050, we must invest in more than just an improved warning system. Faster warning systems are important, but they can’t predict every extreme event, and are only part of the solution. 

We need to build greater community capacity to act together as they prepare and respond to extreme weather events. The research shows that a community’s capacity to collaborate, for neighbours to reach out and organise is an essential part of emergency response, and more effective ways to support this action needs to be part of the solution.