By Elishya Perera
SYDNEY, Australia (CWBN)_ As one of the world’s largest known untapped coal reserves is set to produce its first coal in 2021, deep in northeast Australia’s outback, states and governments call on the federal government to make stronger and reliable commitments towards climate action.Â
The Carmichael coal mine, located in in the north of the Galilee Basin in Central Queensland, has become a symbol of environmental split, as it is expected to produce its first coal next year, while the rest of the big global economies, including the China, the UK, the EU and Japan have made larger commitments to reduce emissions and invest in renewable energy.
Although the Unites States became the first country in the world to formally withdraw from the Paris Agreement last month, however, President-elect Joe Biden too pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
Australia, on the other hand, with a per capita emission of nearly three times higher than the G20 average, has made no such pledge. While Prime Minister Scott Morrison says that Australia is aiming to reach zero emissions as soon as possible, yet, no timeline has been given. Â
However, outside of Canberra, Australian states and territories are forging ahead with larger climate goals. Every Australian state has pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2050, while businesses are also investing in renewable mega-energy projects.
The Asian Renewable Energy Hub, in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, covers an areas space of 6,600 square kilometre, and is expected to power 40 per cent of Australia’s electricity consumption through a $36 billion project.
Capitalizing on the abundance of sunshine and wind in Australia, these businesses intend to power not only domestic but also foreign economies by exporting electricity.
One such project is a $20 billion plan to build the world’s biggest solar farm and battery storage facility in the red desert of the remote Northern Territory. When completed, the project will export electricity through a long undersea cable to power a fifth of Singapore’s energy needs.
According to state ministers, these projects are expected to set up Australia not only as an energy superpower, but also as an economic superpower. For instance, the Sun Cable initiative, which would export electricity to Singapore, has been given major project status, in other words, the government has formally recognized the significance of the project to the Australian economy.
However, lack of commitment by the federal government appears to have Australia falling behind on its climate goals. “Australia has a plan to put the technology in place to reduce emissions and ensure we achieve the Kyoto commitments, as we already have demonstrated, and, importantly, the Paris commitments before us. What matters is what you get done, and Australia is getting it done on emissions reduction,” Morrison told parliament, earlier this month.
However, climate experts point out that that the federal government’s recent announcement on support for a post-pandemic economic recovery powered by natural gas is not in line with the government’s own commitments to reduce emissions.
On the other hand, Australia is the world’s second largest exporter of coal, with an abundant supply of the fossil fuel.
While climate scientists say that it is necessary to phase out coal power in developed countries by 2030, in order to avoid catastrophic climate change, the new Carmichael coal project was given the green light by the government last year. The mine, which would produce 10 million metric tons of coal a year, is expected to supply much of it to India, which still depends on coal to meet most of its energy needs.
Although government officials claim that the purpose of the project, in part, is to create jobs in a high unemployment area, however, environmental campaigners say it will be a “death sentence” for the Great Barrier Reef, given high levels of carbon pollution that coal produces.
Moreover, as the South Pacific nation experienced devastating bush fires and record temperatures earlier this year, the public appear to be in favour of greater action on the climate crisis, calling for investments in renewable energy.
Apart from states, businesses and communities, Australia’s federal government is being pressured to take stronger climate action by other Pacific Island nations and western countries as well.
PM Morrison was left out of the major global summit on climate change hosted by the UK, the UN and France this month, owing to Australia’s lack of climate ambition. However, the Prime Minister argues that since Australia did well in reducing emissions in the Kyoto period (2008 to 2012), it offset that amount to meet its Paris Agreement commitments.
Nevertheless, no country has taken this argument seriously, and continues to call on the federal government to step up and follow suit as states and businesses make bold moves towards climate action. Australia is also urged to capitalise on its natural advantages in order to protect the country from extreme weather conditions including bushfires, droughts, rising sea levels and much more.
Amanda McKenzie, CEO of the Climate Council, Australia’s leading climate change communications non-profit, says the that government needs to accelerate its efforts to reduce the country’s very high emissions, in order protect its national interest.
“If we can demonstrate how to make transition happen quickly in a coal-dependent economy, Australia could be the testing ground and a model in this new world,” she said.
