Prime Minister Scott Morrison has given his strongest indication that Australia will no longer rely on “carryover credits” to reach its 2030 Paris emissions reduction target.
Addressing a Pacific Islands Forum on Friday evening, Mr Morrison hinted his government could ditch the controversial plan to use Kyoto credits amassed before 2020.
“Today I can announce that Australia is very confident that we will now achieve our 2030 targets without the need to draw on our carryover credits,” Mr Morrison said at the virtual forum.
Australia’s emissions are now projected to be 29 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 compared with its Paris accord target of cutting carbon emissions by 26 per cent to 28 per cent.
Pacific island nations have long called for Australia and New Zealand, as giants of the region, to do more on climate.
New Zealand has committed to net zero emissions by 2050 but Australia has not, however all states and territories are chasing the goal.
PIF’s secretary-general Dame Meg Taylor wants Australia to commit to phasing out fossil fuels and to adopt the 2050 target.
She told ABC radio some smaller island nations were looking at technology to strengthen infrastructure and also eyeballing how China has increased the size of islands in disputed territory of the South China Sea.
Climate is a sensitive policy area within Mr Morrison’s coalition parties and he has beefed up his language on the perceived emissions credits.
“Those credits that have been earned have been earned by farmers investing in changes,” he told reporters in Canberra earlier on Friday.
The forum comes days after the prime minister confirmed he would not speak at an online summit organised by the United Nations, the UK and France.
More than 70 nations are speaking at the event, including China, which has recently committed to net zero emissions by 2060.
Last week, Mr Morrison was looking forward to taking part and saw it as a chance to talk up Australia’s achievements.
The prime minister said many international leaders aren’t speaking at the global climate summit, pointing directly to New Zealand.
“I wish them well for the summit, I’m sure it will be very nice,” he said.
Greenpeace Australia says it’s embarrassing the prime minister won’t be speaking at the UN summit.
“Scott Morrison has shown not one ounce of ambition to do anything to secure the future prosperity and security of Australia or the world in the face of the mounting climate threat,” chief executive David Ritter said.
