A NEW UNITED NATIONS report has found that Australia, along with countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United States, is not on track to meet its 2030 Paris climate target.
“Prime Minister Scott Morrison keeps repeating the line that we’re going to meet our target at a canter. But without a credible climate policy, Australia is stuck in the barriers,” said the Climate Council’s acting CEO, Dr Martin Rice.
Under the Paris Agreement, Australia promised to reduce its emissions by 26-28 per cent by 2030, based on 2005 levels.
But today’s UN report says our greenhouse gas pollution levels are projected to ‘remain at high levels rather than reducing in line with the 2030 target.’
“The report makes for sobering reading. It tells us that global carbon emissions increased in 2017 after three years of stagnation. Australia is one of the worst climate offenders. Our pollution levels have risen for three years in a row,” said Dr Rice.
The goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep global temperature rise this century to well below 2 degrees above the level prior to mass industrialisation.
The UN says nations must effectively triple their pollution-cutting goals if the world hopes to hold warming below 2 degrees.
“The message here is that we must move faster and with greater urgency. Australia is on the frontline of climate change, and yet we are going to miss our woefully inadequate Paris climate commitment. The Federal Government must ratchet up its response. We need to phase out fossil fuels like coal and accelerate the transition to clean, low-cost renewable energy,” said Dr Rice.
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