Australian Government called upon to firm up environmental commitments ahead of COP26

October 28, 2021

Karen Sweaney

Ahead of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and following Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s announcement earlier this week, that the Government will not cut emissions sharply enough in the next decade to ensure the protection,of environmentally sensitve areas, conservation organisations are calling for action.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is calling for renewed action on climate, water pollution and poor fishing practices - the key threats to the Reef’s future while the Australian Climate Council, has calculated that Australia should reduce its emissions by 75% below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2035 to do its fair share in containing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as scientists say is needed to stave of worsening impacts of the climate crisis.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society is calling for:

Climate policy commitments from all political parties that are compatible with no more than 1.5 degrees of warming - a crucial threshold for the Reef;
Improvements to fisheries management in Queensland that will result in fewer cases of iconic Reef wildlife like dugongs, turtles, dolphins and sawfish being killed indiscriminately in gillnet and trawl fisheries; and
Increased investment and innovation to help reduce water pollution from farming and grazing lands and to restore key coastal habitats to meet the essential, science-based water pollution targets.

COP26 is being held in Glasgow 31st October – 12th November 2021, for which Prime Minister Morrison unveiled a long-awaited climate plan on Tuesday 26th October, announcing that Australia would join the other developed nations by aiming to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Morrison’s announcement comes after months of pressure from international allies, Australian conservation organisations, the Australian people and even members of his own Liberal Party.

Morrison however will go to COP26, reluctantly, with the weakest climate plan among the G20's developed nations having ignored calls to increase the country's pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which is at around half that of the US' pledge, and even further below the European Union's and United Kingdom's.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Morrison said his government would achieve net zero by 2050 "the Australian way" by balancing the risk of climate change without damaging the economy.

While Australia will commit to a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, Morrison has said Australia will not increase its goal for 2030 adding "Australians want action on climate change, they're taking action on climate change. But they also want to protect their jobs and their livelihoods.

"They also want to keep the cost of living down and they also want to protect the Australian way of life, especially in rural and regional areas.

"Our plan, most importantly, backs Australians to achieve what they want to achieve when it comes to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Australians want to do that and our plan enables them to do that. Our plan works with Australians to achieve this goal. Our plan enables them, it doesn't legislate them, it doesn't mandate them, it doesn't force them. It respects them.”

The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The UK is committed to working with all countries and joining forces with civil society, companies and people on the frontline of climate change to inspire climate action ahead of COP26.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who will host COP26, congratulated Australia on its net zero ambition noting “that was very difficult for Australia because Australia’s very heavily dependent on coal, on lots of carbon-producing industries, and they’ve done a heroic thing.”

However Australia is likely to receive criticism in Glasgow for its relatively weak 2030 target. The United States has committed to reductions of between 50% and 52% below 2005 levels. UK has pledged to cut emissions by 68% below 1990 levels.

Australian Climate Council head of research, Simon Bradshaw told CNN "as a first step, Australia should match the updated commitments of our key allies -- including the US and the UK -- and pledge before Glasgow to at least halve national emissions this decade.”

Amid the announcement of Australia’s commitment to net zero by 2050, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says “as always” with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, “it’s all about the spin – never substance."

Albanese said Tuesday's announcement was "light on detail" but Labor is waiting until after the Glasgow summit before finalising its own policies on climate change. Albanese commented “this government has been there for almost nine years and literally two days before the Prime Minister jets off to Glasgow for the most important international conference on climate change this century, he's come up with this non-policy which has no new initiatives.”

For Australia to arrive at the net zero commitment, a wishlist of demands by the National Party needed to be considered including the promotion of Resources Minister Keith Pitt to become the fifth Nationals’ Cabinet minister.

Pitt, a champion of Australia’s coal and gas industry, maintains Australia will continue exporting coal for decades and has declared solar panels don’t function in the dark when asked if he still believed renewables don’t work.

COP26 will assess progress since nations agreed in the 2015 Paris accord to limit warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The meeting in Glasgow is widely seen as the last chance to hold global warming to 1.5 C (2.7 F) above pre-industrial levels.

AMCS Great Barrier Reef campaign manager Dr Lissa Schindler notes “AMCS was instrumental in the first campaign to protect the Reef in the 1960s. Fighting for our Reef is in our DNA and we’re proud to have fought for its future ever since. We must redouble our efforts as our Reef faces an uncertain future.

“Our Reef is irreplaceable, not just as a natural world wonder, but because it gives Queensland and Australia so much - tens of thousands of jobs, the tourism and fishing industries, and the bucket list experiences that Australians and visitors remember for the rest of their lives.

“Our children and grandchildren deserve to know this miraculous place like we do and so now we need the ‘corrective measures’ - a World Heritage term for management action - that will ensure its future for another 40 years.”

Following a science-based recommendation from UNESCO to add our Reef to the World Heritage in Danger list earlier this year because of climate and water pollution impacts, there has been a renewed focus in Australia on its health.

Dr Schindler said the pressure generated in the recent World Heritage process must ensure the Reef gets what it needs.

“The World Heritage Committee delayed its decision to place the Great Barrier Reef on the World Heritage in danger list until July 2022. This means Australia has just months to show real action for our Reef.

“In 1981, the World Heritage listing for our Reef was a moment of national pride, hope and potential. On this 40th anniversary, with our Reef under more pressure than ever before, our government must remember that and do what it takes to protect it.”