Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has promised to spend “at least” $1 billion helping vulnerable nations cope with climate change at major climate talks in Paris.
Advertisement
“But our task, and that of the technologies we deploy, is not just to reduce emissions”, Turnbull said.
“I know the Canberra community is very active, but what we saw today that those people are willing to come out and tell leaders, internationally and nationally, that we are only going to accept strong action from them so it is very heartening to see these numbers both here and in capital cities across Australia”, she said.
And while Turnbull avoided the soaring rhetoric of Barack Obama – future generations must look back at Paris 2015 grateful for “suffering that’s averted and a planet that’s preserved”, the US President said – he sent a message to members of his coalition and segments of the population and media that continue to dismiss climate change as real. But the limited scope of the Kyoto treaty means that the countries with targets under it are responsible for about 13 per cent of global emissions.
“If there’s discussion about it a couple of years’ in the future, don’t change it again”. Mr Shorten says that announcement is mistimed, with the Paris conference focusing on post-2020 targets.
“Indeed, this is what the small island developing nations of the Pacific are asking for”.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (centre) and New Zealand counterpart John Key pay tribute to the victims of Paris’ terrorist attacks in front of the Bataclan concert hall.
The Greens also took aim at Mr Turnbull over Australia’s rejection of a statement of support at the summit for reform of fossil fuel subsidies.
A long-time observer of the climate negotiations, Deputy Chief Executive of the Climate Institute Erwin Jackson, said the decision by Australia to ratify the second phase of Kyoto was meaningful and would given Australian business access to global carbon markets. “So they are actively encouraging sub-national governments to attend”.
“I will certainly be very strong on the fact that we should not change those targets and that we stick with what we agreed [in] the partyroom and we don’t change”, he said.
He said Paris was “not the end of the journey”, while a report in The Australian, quoting unnamed sources indicated he was considering increasing the target in the next two-yearly review.
While Greens climate change spokeswoman Larissa Waters – also in Paris – said it was a bit rich for Mr Turnbull to rip money out of an already diminished aid budget and re-package it as climate finance.
Environment Victoria said it welcomed the news, however warned that the science required more ambitious short-term targets to stay below the 2°C threshold.
Mr Turnbull told Australian reporters at the sidelines of the event that he had come to the meeting with an “optimistic frame of mine”.
Australia has brought 2030 emissions reduction targets of 26 to 28 per cent on 2005 levels to Paris, a goal constructed under former prime minister Tony Abbott.
Advertisement
“You see backbenchers out, already repudiating the Prime Minister for even the modest announcement that he’s made”, she said.
