Scott Morrison has departed Glasgow after committing Australia to the international consortium of climate sabotage alongside Russia and Saudi Arabia.
In a major announcement, more than 40 countries have agreed to phase out coal-fired power, but Australia has refused to sign on, with Liberal and Labor instead wanting more coal and gas.
As global momentum grows to match commitments with the goals of the Paris agreement, Australia is running a protection racket for coal and gas through accounting tricks, “non binding targets”, interference and delay tactics.
The International Energy Agency said earlier this year there must be no new coal, oil or gas projects if the global energy sector is to reach the 1.5 degree temperature goal of the Paris Agreement and help avoid catastrophic climate change.
In stark contrast with this advice, in Australia there are 72 new coal projects and 44 new gas projects in the investment pipeline. According to research from the Australia Institute, these 116 projects would push up global emissions by nearly 1.7 billion tons a year if they were to all proceed, more than three times Australia’s domestic emissions today.
To ensure the fossil fuel industry continues long into the future, Labor supported the Coalition in a vote to allow Export Finance Australia to invest in fossil fuel projects, in contrast to the new pledge to end public financing of fossil fuels in Glasgow.
Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt MP said:
“This government is completely committed to climate sabotage, aligning themselves with Russia and Saudi Arabia.
“Scott Morrison says we won’t fix global warming without China, but then refuses to work with the US and UK to get China in the tent.
“In the middle of a climate crisis, Liberal and Labor want more coal and gas.
“This year alone we’ve seen nine new coal mines and coal mine extensions approved. Empire Energy is about to frack the NT Beetaloo Basin, Woodside will deepwater drill off the West Australian coast, and Santos will open up a coal seam gas field in Narrabri.
“Nothing tells the story of Liberal and Labor’s climate sabotage like the 116 fossil fuel projects in the pipeline. They’ve got no plans to quit coal, no plans to quit gas, and no plan for climate action.”
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