Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s rejection of a more ambitious 2030 emission reduction target has been criticised by former United Nations general secretary Ban Ki-moon and former Irish president Mary Robinson.
“I’m sorry to say I think Australia is an outlier at the moment in its scale of ambition, and I say that as I know cities and states of the federal system in Australia are trying to step up and civil society is trying to step up,” Ms Robinson said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce during question time. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
Ms Robinson and Mr Ban were speaking during an online forum of a group of former international leaders founded by Nelson Mandela called The Elders that was held overnight Australian time.
“It’s at the federal level where the problem is,” she said. “I’m pleased Scott Morrison has changed his mind and will come to COP [the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow].
“And I hope his peers say to him, ‘You need to do more, you’re a rich country. You have to stop this dependence on coal, have a just transition from coal and understand the world is looking to Australia because you’re on the side of historic emitters’.
“I’m with a lot of the Australian people in wanting the government to step up more.”
Mr Ban said he had worked closely with the Australian government and was aware of the importance of coal as an export, and also of efforts to develop hydrogen technology.
“Therefore a 26-28 per cent NDC [2030 target] by Australia, which is one of the very important and powerful G20 countries is not leading by example, they really should lead by example, that’s my strong urge as a friend of Australia,” he said.
Mr Morrison told Parliament on Monday he would stick with the target that he took to the 2019 election, which was set by former prime minister Tony Abbott in 2015, to reduce emissions by at least 26 per cent from 2005 levels.
His decision comes after Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce on Sunday all but ruled out support for a higher 2030 commitment.
However, Mr Morrison has told Liberal MPs he intends to take a binding commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 to the Glasgow climate summit.
The United Kingdom minister in charge of the United Nations climate talks, Alok Sharma, told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age earlier this month that Australia should pursue a target of 45 to 50 per cent to do its part, while the United States, which had a similar target to Australia doubled its target to 50 per cent.
Recently, South Korea increased its 2030 target from 26 per cent to 40 per cent.
Scientists believe that if the world is to avoid the worst impacts of warming it must reduce emissions by 45 per cent this decade, but if current national commitments are kept they would increase by 16 per cent.
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