‘Insufficient': Biden administration criticises Australia on climate

Matthew Knott 42 mins ago

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Washington: The Biden administration believes Australia's current climate change policies are "insufficient" and wants Prime Minister Scott Morrison to announce more ambitious emission reduction targets when he appears at this week's climate leaders' summit.

© (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) US President Joe Biden

Senior Biden administration officials told reporters they see "enormous potential" for Australia but that the country can not rely solely on advancements in technology to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

President Joe Biden will use the summit, which begins on Friday (AEST), to announce a new target of approximately a 50 per cent reduction in US carbon emissions by 2030 based on 2005 levels.

This would be almost double the Morrison government's current target of a 26 to 28 per cent reduction over the same period.

"At the moment I think our colleagues in Australia recognise there is going to have to be a shift," said a senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, during a briefing call.

"It's insufficient to follow the existing trajectory and hope that they will be on a course to deep decarbonisation and getting to net zero emissions by mid-century."

Following the Biden administration's pointed remarks, Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor doubled down on the Morrison government's position of pursuing new technology, not more ambitious targets.

Asked if Australia's emissions reduction target was redundant now many developed nations were setting greater goals, Mr Taylor said "politicians promises are one thing, delivery is what counts".

"What matters here at the end of the day, globally, is outcomes," Mr Taylor told ABC radio on Thursday morning. "Emissions reductions across the globe is what's necessary here to achieve outcomes."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has flagged more than $1 billion funding for hydrogen and carbon sequestration projects, plus research into low-carbon technologies such as green steel, will be the focus of his speech at the summit rather than new emissions targets.

Mr Taylor said new low emissions technologies would unlock the solution to global warming.

"The key is practical action that doesn't raise electricity bills, that doesn't destroy jobs, that strengthens economies, that drives investment," he said. "That is exactly what we are doing."

The senior Biden administration official indicated that Australia's approach would fall short of what the US wants to hear from Australia.

Contrasting the Australian and US approaches, the official said, "One view of the world says, ‘Don't worry, technology will solve the problem'."

"The other view of the world says, ‘At the end of the day technology will contribute but is insufficient on its own to solve the problem'.

"You have to have a set of policies, you have to have national intent, you have to follow up with actions and commitments."

The official said that he detected "movement" from Australia and that Prime Minister Morrison grasps the importance of both investment in technology and strong emissions reduction goals.

"We are hopeful he will come to the summit and make announcements around both and commit the country to next steps that we think would be critical," the official said.

He added that the Biden administration sees "enormous potential for joint work" between the two countries.

"I think the question of what they do and what they say will certainly affect how and how effectively we can co-operate going forward," the official said.

"But we see potential here for something substantial and are looking forward to his statements to that effect."

The senior official said the "open question" for Australia was how the country resolves its commitment to coal mining and coal-fired power generation with ambitious climate goals.

The official reiterated previous remarks by US climate envoy John Kerry that Australia and the US have "differences" on their approach to climate action.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce a new target of a 40-45 per cent cut in emissions from 2005 levels at the summit. The leaders of Japan and South Korea are also expected to unveil new pledges.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce a 78 per cent emissions reduction target, based on 1990 emissions levels and to be met by 2035.

Earlier this week US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration would increase pressure on nations seen not to be acting fast enough on climate change.

"Our diplomats will challenge the practices of countries whose action - or inaction - is setting the world back," Blinken said.

"When countries continue to rely on coal for a significant amount of their energy, or invest in new coal factories, or allow for massive deforestation, they will hear from the United States and our partners about how harmful these actions are."

A spokesman for the Morrison government said it would release a long-term emissions reduction strategy before the United Nations climate summit in November.

"Our track record is one of reducing emissions faster than our developed country peers," the spokesman said.

"Between 2005 and 2018, Australia's emissions fell faster than Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Korea or the US. Over that same period, half of G20 members actually increased their emissions."