2021-11-12
Far from being a small player with minimal impact on global climate action, Australia under Scott Morrison is actively blocking plans for an accelerated phase out of coal and gas, joining Saudi Arabia and Russia in sabotaging a meaningful outcome at Glasgow climate summit, Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, said.
As the summit reaches crunch point, Australia has reportedly removed words from the draft statement regarding the need to rapidly phase out fossil fuels, joining with authoritarian petro-states to prevent the first ever call from a COP to take urgent action on coal and gas. Australia is the world's third-largest exporter of CO2 in fossil fuels.
This is the latest in the Liberal Party's demonstrated history of sabotaging international climate talks by blocking consensus and demanding the right to keep polluting, putting the interests of coal and gas donors ahead of humanity’s health and survival. It is expected that Australia may also block plans to recall nations who have insufficient 2030 pledges to further talks next year.
“Even after leaving with his tail between his legs, Scott Morrison is actively sabotaging global climate action at Glasgow,” Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, said.
“Australia is yet again the holdout, refusing to agree to phase out coal and gas.
“China and the US are choosing to work together, but Australia’s siding with Russia and Saudia Arabia.
“Scott Morrison lies and says that as a small country there’s little Australia can do by itself, but when the rest of the world tries to act, he blocks them.
“As the summit nears its end, countries aren’t pledging to do enough to stop global warming. With countries like Australia refusing to do more, we are on track for catastrophic temperature rises during our children’s lifetimes.
“Everyone from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to the UN Secretary General are pleading with world leaders to lift their pledges so we stop the climate crisis, but Scott Morrison isn’t just refusing to do his bit, he’s actively trying to stop the world from acting.
“As the climate summit reaches crunch point, one single country can derail the whole process by refusing to sign on, and that’s what Australia is doing now.
“By joining with authoritarian petro-states to prevent the first ever call from a COP to take urgent action on coal and gas, Scott Morrison is blocking the climate push from the US and UK.
“We’re in a critical decade for climate action. The only action that will count is urgently phasing out coal and gas, the main causes of the climate crisis.”