2020-12-04
Ahead of next week’s Climate Ambition Summit hosted by the UK government, Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt, said Scott Morrison was becoming increasingly isolated on climate, with news the United Kingdom will pursue a 68% emissions reduction target by 2030.
“Scott Morrison is naked and alone on climate,” said Mr Bandt.
“Soon Vladmir Putin will be his only potential partner in crime, with even the petro-states starting to talk about transition out of oil and gas.
“This is the kind of ambition Australia is expected to bring to next week’s Climate Ambition Summit. Compared to the UK’s ambition, the plans offered by Australia’s political parties are an embarrassment.
“While in the UK the conservatives are pledging to reduce emissions by 68%, the Liberals here are fighting to burn as much coal and gas as they can and Labor without a 2030 target is cheering them on.
“We’ve lost time to the Coalition’s decade of climate denial. Catching up requires more ambition, not less. Both Liberal and Labor need to adopt science-based targets that recognise the scale of the climate crisis and won’t embarrass us on the global stage.
“Scott Morrison’s 2030 targets are consistent with the world heating by over 3 degrees, not the well below 2 degrees demanded by the Paris Agreement.
“This is a testament to what can be done when your major political parties aren’t fuelled by dirty donations from coal, oil, and gas companies.”
The Australian Greens want Australia to set a emissions reduction of 75% on 2005 levels.
A recent Essential Poll found three-quarters of voters wanted Australia to get to zero emissions by 2030.
The global Climate Ambition Summit, which will take place on December 12 and is hosted by the UK and United Nations, requires all countries to increase their climate ambition ahead of the crucial Paris agreement negotiations to be held in Glasgow in November next year.