By Celine Lai
The Conversation’s article “What is COP26 and why does the fate of Earth, and Australia’s prosperity, depend on it?” is recommended reading. The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th United Nations Conference of Parties related to climate change action.
It is scheduled to be held in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, between 31 October and 12 November 2021.
The Conversation reports:
“In the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, each nation that was party to the agreement, pledged to ramp up their emissions reduction pledges every five years. We’ve reached that deadline – in fact, a one-year delay due to the COVID pandemic means six years have passed.
This five-year requirement sets a framework for countries to reach net-zero emissions across the global economy by mid-century. The Glasgow summit is the first real stress test of whether the world can meet that goal.
At present, Australia plans to take to Glasgow the same 2030 target it took to Paris six years ago – a 26-28% cut by 2030, from 2005 levels.
The Paris Agreement is about targets, and countries are required to set new targets representing “highest possible ambition”.
Many jurisdictions – including the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Japan and Canada – have substantially strengthened their 2030 targets. This constitutes a powerful market signal, driving a global reallocation of private and public investment from fossil fuels toward clean energy solutions.
While the world is moving fast, there remains a crucial gap between current pledges and the goals of the Paris Agreement. Glasgow is seen as the last chance to close that gap and keep the 1.5℃ goal within reach.
With the right policy settings, Australia could grow a clean export mix worth A$333 billion annually, almost triple the value of existing fossil fuel exports.
Getting to net-zero could also create 672,000 jobs, and generate A$2.1 trillion in economic activity by mid-century.”
It’s time for Australia to move out of the “dark ages” and for leadership that works for the best interests of the people it serves.
Australia’s Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, keeps spinning the same line that other countries are bigger polluters and need to step up to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while Australia remains at its current level of climate commitments.
The Federal Environment Minister, Sussan Ley, has just approved a new coal project in New South Wales. This is despite a Court ruling that the Government must do what is right to protect children from greenhouse gas emissions effects, and despite the International Energy Agency saying that no new gas or coal projects should be approved.
Sussan Ley has implied that if we don’t produce coal, then someone else will. This “if not us, then someone else” justification is immoral. Australia needs a Federal Government that cares enough to heed the science and the inevitable movement toward phasing out all fossil fuels in the long-term, with a just transition for fossil fuel workers.
Experts say that Australia needs to commit to a 47% cut by 2030.
Read the complete article by the Conversation, by clicking here.
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Barnaby Jones, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, is saying regional Australia will be hurt if our greenhouse gas emissions reductions are increased. But some of the States are going it alone, so by 2030 our “Nationally Determined Contributions” will be higher than the Federal Government’s current value of 26%. But it still won’t be enough. Jones and Scott Morrison and the Nationals have had plenty of time to network and to find plans where regional workers in the fossil fuel industries CAN make fair transitions to other jobs.
The following are the blue-prints which Australia can follow, that will generate profits, and jobs for current fossil fuel workers:
Beyond Zero Emissions “Million Jobs Plan”
Repower Australia Plan by 350 Australia
World Wildlife Fund’s report “Australian Renewable Export COVID-19 recovery package”
In Western Australia, Clean State’s “Jobs Plan” for 200,000 jobs without fossil fuels, including a fair or just transition for fossil fuel workers,