2021-04-23
Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, has described Prime Minister Scott Morrison as an utter embarrassment and a threat to Australia’s safety after Australia’s weak climate action stood in contrast to a host of nations, including our biggest trading partners, lifting their 2030 targets at President Biden’s Climate Summit.
“We are heading towards a climate cliff and as Joe Biden desperately tries to stop us going over the edge, Scott Morrison refuses to lift 2030 targets and Labor backs him in,” said Mr Bandt.
“The rest of the world is acting because we are in a climate emergency and facing societal collapse, but instead of protecting Australia, Scott Morrison and Labor want to burn more coal and gas and refuse to lift our 2030 target.
“With the US and UN demanding an urgent phase out of coal, Scott Morrison spruiks fossil fuels and Labor says we should burn coal past 2050.
“Australia is being led by a cabal of climate criminals, aided and abetted by a coal-fuelled Labor.
“2030 is the new 2050, as France’s President Emannuel Macron said. We can’t leave action until 2050, because what we do in this decade will determine the kind of planet that today’s primary school kids live in.
“If we don’t act in the next decade, global warming likely becomes an unstoppable chain reaction. Right when we need maximum pressure on the government, Labor has no 2030 targets and is letting Scott Morrison off the hook.
“I am calling on Anthony Albanese and Labor to join the Greens and all Australians in pressuring Scott Morrison for stronger 2030 targets and the phase out of coal and gas.
“The science is clear. Australia needs to be at least tripling our 2030 targets to 75%.
“Scott Morrison will have nowhere to hide in June when he attends the G7 meeting in the UK. All G7 countries have now committed to increased 2030 targets and Australia is isolated.”
New targets announced, include:
- The United States has set a new emissions target of 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030
- Japan upgraded it’s 2030 target to 46% below 2013 levels (was previously 26% below 2013 levels) - Japan is Australia’s largest customer for thermal coal and LNG exports
- Canada upgraded it’s 2030 target to 40-45% below 2005 levels (was previously 30% below 2005 levels)
- China committed to peak coal use by 2025, which builds on a commitment they made last year to peak emissions before 2030 and reach net-zero before 2060.
- South Korea committed to introduce a more ambitious 2030 target prior to Glasgow and will end the international financing of coal
- The United Kingdom announced a new 2035 emissions target of 78% below 1990 levels, building on their announcement last year of an upgraded 2030 target of 68% below 1990 levels (was previously 53% below 1990 levels)
- European Union member countries have agreed to legislate their upgraded 2030 target of 55% below 1990 levels by 2030 (was previously 40% below 1990 levels)
- New Zealand reconfirmed their intent to increase their 2030 targets prior to Glasgow, and called on all countries to price carbon and end fossil fuel subsidies