Sanders, however, said that while the agreement was a step forward, it not enough to tackle climate change.
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Labor welcomed the commitment to holding increases in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees and the further commitment to pursue efforts to limit increases to 1.5 degrees.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop last week raised expectations that Australia would change course on allowing emissions allowances when she announced the country’s support of a New Zealand declaration on carbon markets, which was eventually released on Saturday night in Paris with the backing of 17 nations.
WA Liberal MP Dennis Jensen told ABC Radio the agreement was “essentially meaningless” and warned there was no reason to be “metaphorically burning our economy just to appear good on the global stage”. The world is saved … the polar bears can sleep soundly tonight.
Liberal MP Craig Kelly has meanwhile used Facebook to poke fun at the proposal.
Five-yearly reviews were a sticking point for the Australian delegation and Ms Bishop admitted it was going to be tough, while cautioning the government wouldn’t jeopardise the economy.
While an global climate agreement had been presented to the participating nations, there are still unresolved questions that need consensus in order to address issues on climate change.
The news follows a decision of the government led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to re-allow government investment in wind power, something which former prime minister Tony Abbott banned earlier this year.
“If we are to meet the goals set out in Paris agreement, Australia must now match its words with action, she said”.
With virtually every nation on Earth having now vowed to gradually reduce emissions of the heat-trapping gases which are warming the planet – a universal obligation that had eluded negotiators and activists since the first Earth Day summit meeting, in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 – much of the weight for keeping the momentum shifts back to the countries to work out, and carry out, the concrete measures needed to produce on their vows.
“While we didn’t get all that we envisaged, we are certainly pleased with this agreement”, she said.
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“It is a reflection of balance of the world’s interest”, China’s chief negotiator Xie Zhenhua said. “As POTUS, I will hold the world to them”.
