The 2015 Global Climate Change Legislation study, released by the UK Grantham Institute on Climate Change and Environment reveals that Australia has become the first developed country to take a legislative step backwards from action on climate change.
The study also found that 75% of the world’s annual emissions of greenhouse gases are now limited by national targets, which is hugely encouraging. 98 countries plus the European Union were included in the study, and together they’re responsible for 93 per cent of global emissions. It will be presented to delegates in Bonn, Germany on June 2nd, where the latest round of United Nations climate change negotiations is taking place.
The report is likely to heighten scrutiny of Australia’s climate change policies, with Australia expected to face a grilling from the international community at Bonn, where government representatives will have to justify Australia’s climate change actions to date.
Meanwhile globally, legislation to tackle climate change has surged with climate laws almost doubling from 426 in 2009 to 804 by the end of 2014. Australia’s pollution reduction target of 5% by 2020, when the U.S. is on track to meet its 17% target by the same date, highlights just how out of step Australia is with the rapidly accelerating climate change commitments worldwide.
The report can be accessed here.