Britain and France are leading a group of countries calling on Australia’s conservative Liberal-National government to make ambitious new commitments to combat the climate crisis by next month if Prime Minister Scott Morrison is to speak at a global summit on the issue.
A letter sent to Mr Morrison and other national leaders on October 22 called on countries to rebuild economies after the coronavirus “in a way that charts a greener, more resilient, sustainable path” that puts the world on track to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
The Guardian reports it said this required all countries to increase their commitments to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, in line with the pledge made five years ago to increase policies and targets over time.
In this context, the co-hosts of the summit, which also include Chile, Italy and the United Nations, were inviting leaders to an online “climate ambition summit” on December 12.
Speaking slots will be given only to leaders who set stronger targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade, announce a long-term strategy to reach net zero emissions, commit new finance for developing countries or have ambitious plans and policies to adapt to locked-in climate change impacts.
The letter, signed by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, Chilean president Sebastián Piñera, Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte and the United Nations secretary general, Antonio Guterres, said “we hope to see you in December with a bold new commitment”.
“There will be no space for general statements,” it said.
The Guardian reports a Liberal-National government spokesperson said on Monday it had received the letter and was considering its response.
Mr Morrison did not attend a UN climate action summit in New York last year despite being in the United States to visit the administration of President Donald Trump at the time.
Speaking slots at that event were also reserved for countries announcing new commitments.
The December summit was discussed in a phone call between Mr Johnson and Mr Morrison last week.
Mr Johnson encouraged Mr Morrison to commit Australia to a target of reducing emissions to net zero by 2050.
According to a statement from Downing Street, he noted the British experience had demonstrated that “driving economic growth and reducing emissions can go hand in hand”.
Mr Morrison has rejected the target, which was adopted last week by Japan and South Korea, the fifth and seventh biggest carbon emitters in the world respectively.
His discussion with Mr Johnson about it was not included in the Australian readout on the call.
The Guardian reports Australia has emphasised a “technology over taxes” approach, including a statement that sets “stretch goals” at which point some clean technologies, “clean” hydrogen, energy storage, “low-carbon” steel and aluminium, carbon capture and storage and soil carbon, would become economically competitive with alternatives.
The stretch goals are not tied to a timeframe or policies that require increased use of the technologies.
Politico Europe, which first published details of the letter, reported that the leaders of Japan and China, which recently announced it would reach net zero emissions before 2060, were expected to be invited to speak at the summit.
It said Europe’s invitation would depend on the result of a European Council meeting on December 10-11, where leaders will discuss increasing its target for 2030 from a 40 per cent cut below 1990 levels to up to a 60 per cent cut.
It has a net zero goal for mid-century.
Britain was the first G7 country to legislate a target if net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Its emissions have fallen more than 40 per cent since 1990 while its economy has continued to grow.
The Guardian reports the Liberal-National government has set a 2030 emissions reduction target of between 26 per cent and 28 per cent below 2005 levels, having rejected a science-based recommendation by the Climate Change Authority of a 45 to 60 per cent cut over that timeframe.
It has said it would meet net zero at an unspecified point in the second half of the century.
Britain, which is hosting the next major UN climate summit in Glasgow next year, has called on industrialised countries to join it in doubling contributions to the Green Climate Fund, a body Australia withdrew from last year.
A net zero emissions target is supported by more than 70 countries, about 400 cities, every Australian state and major Australian business, industry, trade union, farming and welfare groups.
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2 Responses
At last – a sure way of muting Scotty from marketing and his sidekick Taylor. Having them say nothing is better than them spruking their non-scientific so called “plans” for emission reductions.
They are an embarrassment to the nation.
Scamo is on his way out with his revolving door of fossil fuel corrupt cronies. Shameful stupidity .