2020-12-10
Scott Morrison has confirmed Australia’s diplomatic isolation on climate with his answers in Question Time today.
It now appears absolutely clear that his answers to Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, last week, on Australia’s participation in the crucial UN’s Climate Ambition Summit, were a misleading of Parliament and that Australia will not be joining the up to 100 countries who will announce stronger action at the Summit this weekend.
Instead, it appears the Prime Minister will try to use tomorrow’s Pacific Island Forum Climate roundtable as a fig leaf for his climate failure and risks a repeat of his bullying of Pacific Island leaders at last year’s summit.
“Scott Morrison is in a diplomatic hole and he has decided to keep digging with his ducking and weaving in Question Time today,” said Mr Bandt.
“It appears the PM has been caught out misleading Parliament on the climate summit while confirming Australia’s diplomatic isolation on climate.”
“Today’s UN Report and the government's own emissions projections confirm that we’re heading towards the climate cliff at 200km per hour and Scott Morrison wants to step on the gas, which is why he is being snubbed by the world.”
“Scott Morrison, who has bullied Pacific Island nations over climate goals in the past, is now attempting to use tomorrow’s Pacific climate roundtable as a fig leaf to hide his embarrassment at being locked out of this weekend’s Climate Ambition Summit.
“It is utterly disrespectful for Scott Morrison to expect applause from Pacific Island leaders by announcing Australia will not cheat by using Kyoto carryover credits to reach our paltry emissions reduction targets. Scott Morrison using Pacific Island leaders as a ‘fallback’ after being rejected by the rest of the global community will only further diminish Australia's standing in the Pacific.
“There is understandable concern that the Pacific meeting will be a repeat of last year’s forum, where the PM bullied and cajoled Pacific Islanders to water down their call for climate action.”
The UN Emissions Gap Report released today says the world, including Australia, needs to increase action by at least 3 times to time avoid catastrophe."