Opposition Australian Labor Party senators have accused the conservative Liberal-National government of relying on “hope” to meet Australia’s emissions targets under the United Nations sponsored Paris Agreement during questions about the country’s progress toward its international climate commitments.
In a tense exchange in a Senate estimates hearing, Senators Anne Urqhuart and Kristina Keneally asked the environment department and government Senator Simon Birmingham to explain the most recent emissions projections published by the government.
The Guardian Online reports on current trajectories, the department’s report projects Australia’s emissions will reach 563 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030, which would equal a seven per cent cut on 2005 emissions levels.
Australia’s target is for a 26 to 28 per cent reduction on 2005 levels.
Guardian Online reports the department told the hearing 2018 emissions levels reached 534m tonnes.
Senator Urquhart asked if this meant the country’s emissions were increasing, but the department argued its numbers were “conservative”.
“It’s not a forecast of what is the potential to happen,” said Jo Evans, the deputy secretary for climate change and energy innovation.
“I guess what I’m saying is while it’s a projection, it’s very conservative.”
Ms Evans told the hearing there were measures the department had not factored into its projections that could close the gap further, such as more technological innovation, or a change in policy.
Guardian Online reports the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has claimed Australia will meet its targets “in a canter”, but multiple quarterly emissions reports have shown the country’s greenhouse gas emissions tracking upwards.
Senator Urquhart asked if it was correct that, based on the department’s current data, Australia would miss its target by 19 per cent.
“The only way that would be a true statement is if nothing else happened between now and then, either in unexpected ways or in changes or amendments to the current policy suite.”
However, Senator Keneally challenged the government on the extent to which current policies were working and what its confidence was based on that it could meet its commitments.
Senator Birmingham replied the current policies had “steered” the country towards beating its 2020 target.
“So it’s hope?” Senator Keneally asked.
“When you assert that we are going to meet our targets, is it based on policies you have already announced or policies you intend to announce in future?” Senator Keneally asked.
Senator Birmingham said the government had made it clear it would be making further announcements on climate change policy leading up to the federal election due in May.
“We indeed are continually working, as the prime minister has publicly acknowledged, within government on further policy settings that will help to ensure we meet the same trajectory in relation to our 2030 commitments,” he said.
Senator Keneally replied: “So if I could summarise, you’re hoping that past performance is an indicator of future success and that future success will be predicated not on policies you’ve already announced but on some things you’ve yet to announce.”
Later in the hearing, independent Senator Tim Storer grilled the government on its intentions to rely on carryover credits from the UN’s Kyoto Protocol to meet Australia’s target.
Senator Birmingham said “as has been made clear previously and as is consistent with the way in which the Kyoto Protocol has worked previously, the government would intend to use carryover if required”.
Senator Storer said the department’s emissions projections data suggested Australia could rely on carryover credits from beating previous Kyoto targets to meet more than half of its international commitments.
He asked if other countries intended to rely on carryover, which Senator Birmingham said he would have to answer on notice.
Richie Merzian, the director of The Australia Institute’s climate and energy program, told the Guardian it was little wonder school students were protesting about a lack of climate leadership at a national level.
“It is disheartening to hear the government defend Australia’s woeful climate policies and rising emissions in Senate estimates,” he said.
“The government confirmed it is openly using loopholes from a past agreement to meet over half its 2030 reduction target and doesn’t share the view of neighbours such as New Zealand that such dodgy practices are not in the spirit of the Paris Agreement.”
One Response
Because both rely on mass coal corruption in the form of political donation. jobs for the boys and junkets etc. Let alone coal controlled concentrated media.