2020-03-02
The climate crisis is heating Australia faster than other nations and answers to Greens questions at Senate Estimates today confirm Australia will warm by ‘closer to 4 degrees’, not the 2 degrees agreed to in the Paris Agreement on climate change, with Scott Morrison marching us on a path towards death.
Under questioning by Senator Larissa Waters, the Bureau of Meteorology indicated that Australia has warmed by 1.4C from pre-industrial temperatures, 0.3C more than the global average, and that Australians will suffer through warming that is “closer to 4C” – over double the maximum target temperatures set out in the Paris Agreement and a global temperature at which scientists estimate only a billion people may survive on the planet.
Estimates also revealed that the government is undertaking no planning for the current 4 degrees scenario, with the Bureau also revealing they had not been approached by any Federal Minister or Department to provide advice about preparing for current policy settings.
Greens Leader and Climate Emergency Spokesperson, Adam Bandt MP, said the questioning demonstrated that our government is woefully underprepared for the climate crisis.
Lines from Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:
“Answers at Senate Estimates have confirmed that we are not on track to meet Paris targets and our country is set to burn.
“Our government is marching us on a path towards death. Australia will be one of the hardest countries hit by the climate crisis, but our government clearly couldn’t care less.
“The science is in. Not only is Australia one of the worst contributors to the climate crisis, we’re also going to be one of its worst victims.
“Scott Morrison is failing to seek expert advice about the impacts of his climate policies. He is developing no plans for agriculture, tourism, and health in a four degree scorched world.
“Australia saw this horrific bushfire season with just over one degree of warming. We’re hurtling towards four degrees and it’s only going to get worse from here”
Lines from Australian Greens Co-Deputy Leader Larissa Waters:
“Four degrees of global warming will transform our society and environment, yet no government agency or government minister has asked for a briefing so they can plan for this new climate change-affected reality.
“This is our future burning and our government is burying its head in the sand rather than preparing for a new reality. We lose our precious Great Barrier Reef and the 63,000 tourism jobs that rely on it at only two degrees of global warming.
“We need climate action now, not delaying for decades to come.”