Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has resisted pressure to set bigger carbon emissions cut down targets while other major nations are promising deep cuts to tackle climate change.
Speaking at a global climate conference, Mr Morrison said Australia was on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
But he stopped setting a timeline, saying the country would get there “very quickly”.
Climate Change Commitments
It comes at a time when the US, Canada and Japan are setting new commitments for more cuts.
US President Joe Biden, who chaired the summit, promised to reduce carbon emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030. This new goal doubles the previous American pledge.
In contrast, Australia will adhere to its current commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 26% -28% below 2005 levels, by 2030. This is in line with the Paris climate agreement, although Mr. Morrison said Australia was on track to net zero emissions.
“Our goal is to get there as soon as we possibly can, through technology that enables and transforms our industries, not taxes that eliminate them and the jobs and livelihoods they support and create,” he told the summit.
“Future generations … will not thank us for what we have promised, but for what we bring.”
Climate Status Of Australia
Australia is one of the world’s largest fossils and emissions emitter. Mr Morrison, who has faced ongoing criticism over climate policy, said action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would focus on technology.
The prime minister said Australia used ten times more renewable energy than the world average per person, and had the highest uptake of solar panels in the world.
Mr Morrison added that Australia would invest $ 20bn ($ 15.4bn; 11.1bn) “to achieve ambitious goals that would bring the cost of clean hydrogen, crude iron, energy conservation and carbon capture to commercial parity”.
“You can always be sure that Australia’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are bankable.”.”
International Pressure
Australia has seen increasing international pressure to intensify its efforts to reduce pollution and tackle global warming. The country has averaged 1.4 degrees C since national records were launched in 1910, according to its scientific and weather organizations. That has led to an increase in the number of cases of extreme heat, as well as additional days of fire.
Ahead of the summit, President Biden’s team urged countries that have been slow to embrace action on climate change to raise their ambition. While many nations heeded the call, big emitters China and India also made no new commitments.
“Scientists tell us that this is the decisive decade – this is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis,” President Biden said at the summit’s opening address.
Referring to America’s new carbon-cutting pledge, President Biden added: “The signs are unmistakable, the science is undeniable, and the cost of inaction keeps mounting.”
