With President Barack Obama’s administration pressing an intensified agenda on the issue of climate change, the United States has again applied pressure on Australia over the issue.
The latest move has come from the US ambassador, John Berry, who has urged Australia to work closely with its ally in Washington on climate change.
AAP Newsagency reports that in doing so Mr Berry pointed to the major economic opportunities available in tackling the global challenge.
The US is one of the world’s largest polluters, but has made significant progress reducing its emissions since climate change was made a top-priority issue by President Obama’s administration.
Data in April showed the US had cut its greenhouse gas emissions 10 per cent below 2005 levels, meaning it’s more than halfway to achieving its target of a 17 per cent reduction by 2020.
AAP reports Ambassador Berry said the US had managed to cut pollution while maintaining economic growth, defying the argument that achieving green outcomes was too expensive and hard on business.
The US would lead by example and be challenging world leaders to do their part by adopting “aggressive” pollution goals of their own.
“The issue is serious, it deserves everyone’s attention,” Mr Berry said.
The Ambassador was speaking at a climate summit in the Victorian state capital, Melbourne, attended by the Environment Minister in the conservative Liberal-National government, Greg Hunt.
“We know you will continue to work with us, both bilaterally and in multilateral organisations, on the tremendous challenges climate change presents in the region.”
The federal government has given support to a bipartisan policy to reduce emissions by five per cent of 2000 levels by 2020.
However, it has said it will review this target in 2015 as world leaders prepare to meet in Paris to decide on a new binding climate deal.
The US has forged agreements with other major polluters such as India and China in the lead up to the 2015 summit.
President Obama has also put pressure on the Liberal-National Prime Minister Tony Abbott to have climate change on the G20 agenda when the global group meets in Brisbane in November.
Ambassador Berry said the US should work closer with Australia to chase the huge economic benefits posed by the growth of renewable energy.
“It’s not only good environmental policy, it is also good business,” he said.
