Greens Leader Adam Bandt has released new analysis showing that because pollution has increased so much since the Liberals repealed the carbon price, Australia’s emissions reduction targets would now need to be at least a 48% cut on 2005 levels by 2030 to be consistent with the Paris Agreement aim of keeping global warming well below 2 degrees. So much of the carbon budget has been spent that future governments will need to tighten their carbon belts even further, not relax targets as has been mooted. To limit global warming to the Paris goal of 1.5 degrees, the analysis finds that Australia’s target would have to be a 75% reduction on 2005 levels by 2030.
–Briefing paper available here–
Mr Bandt also announced that the Greens – who agree with Paciifc Island countries that the world should aim to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees – have adjusted their climate targets to reflect this new analysis, announcing a new policy of 75% cut on 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2035. The endorsement of the new position by the Australian Greens Party Room yesterday comes ahead of the Eden Monaro by-election, where the Greens are urging voters to send a message to the government about the climate crisis.
“Since the Liberals repealed the carbon price, pollution has gone up and Scott Morrison is blowing our chance of meeting the Paris Agreement goals,” Greens Leader, Adam Bandt said.
“The science is clear. The Liberals have spent so much of Australia’s carbon budget that we need to do even more over the next decade, not less.
“The Paris Agreement says we should limit global warming to well below 2 degrees while also fighting to limit heating to 1.5 degrees, which is what our Pacific Island neighbours want.
“The Liberals have us on track for over 3 degrees of global warming, and by walking away from a stronger 2030 target, Labor looks like giving up on the Paris Agreement as well.
“Going to the next election with anything less than a 48% cut by 2030 means abandoning the Paris Agreement.
“The only pathway for climate action is to turf the government out, put Greens into balance of power and implement a Green New Deal.”
“The science shows that to stop runaway global warming, Australia needs to cut our pollution by three quarters over the next decade and then get to zero five years after that. It is challenging, but with a Green New Deal we can do it.
“The climate doesn’t care about politics. Liberal and Labor can’t claim to be implementing the Paris Agreement without lifting their 2030 targets significantly.
“As ClimateWorks has shown, we can cut pollution by 75% by 2030 with available technology. It just needs an Australian government to show some leadership to make it happen,” Bandt said.
