By Elishya Perera
LONDON (CU)_Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was denied a speaking slot at the global leaders’ climate summit last December since the pacific nation failed to meet the requirements set out by the organisers in advance, which was to bring new climate commitments, British foreign secretary Dominic Raab revealed.
However, he noted that the UK accepted the Australian government’s right to “to set its own course”.
“There are difficult economic trade-offs, but we’ve got to come together, and if the liberal democracies including the UK and Australia can’t help lead the way we’re not going to shift the dial,” he said.
Nevertheless, the Foreign Secretary urged Canberra to scale up its climate commitments before the COP26 summit which is scheduled to be held in Glasgow later this year.
In an interview with the ABC, Raab said his government would seek to “encourage the best instincts of the Australians” on climate change ahead of the next major conference.
“I think the real dynamic we want to establish is a virtuous cycle of stretch ambitions with nationally determined contributions and incredible plans in order to meet them,” he added. “I know Australia will step up to the plate.”
While more than 100 countries have set a target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, the United Kingdom and the United States are leading a push for these countries to backup this target with stronger commitments for 2030 ahead of the Conference in November.
Meanwhile, Australia has been evidently reluctant to set a target, although PM Morrison has said the country hopes to reach the goal “as soon as possible and preferably by 2050”.
The Prime Minister on Wednesday (17 March) had a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden’s climate envoy, John Kerry, during which the pair discussed the transition to a “new energy economy”.
“They discussed the critical role that technology, such as hydrogen breakthroughs, had to play in reducing global emissions, particularly in developing countries,” PM Morrison’s office said.
“They agreed that there was increasing momentum in business and finance in driving economic opportunities from the transition to the new energy economy and that Australia is keen to be a part of (it).”
According to Raab, Britain has invited Australia, as well as India and South Korea to attend the G7 summit, which will be held in Cornwall in June, where climate actions will be one of major subjects of discussion, and according to Guardian Australia, sources have revealed that London hopes to persuade these three countries to accelerate their efforts to achieve net zero.
