Scott Morrison must clearly and unambiguously commit Australia to real action to tackle climate change at this month’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting.
Mr Morrison should heed this morning’s call by Pacific political and religious leaders to address the potentially devastating impact of climate change on the region.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister, former prime ministers and presidents, along with parliamentarians, archbishops, bishops and senior religious figures from across the Pacific have warned that climate change is the region’s greatest security threat.
Mr Morrison’s equivocation and back-sliding on climate at last year’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting inflicted significant harm to Australia’s standing in the region.
The Prime Minister needs to undo this damage by using the next Leaders meeting, scheduled for 16-18 December, to commit Australia to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
A ‘Pacific Step Up’ without a commitment to net zero carbon by 2050 has very little credibility in the region.
He should also give an undertaking to his Pacific counterparts that the Australian Government will not use dodgy and illegal Kyoto “carryover” credits to meet Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target.
This month’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting is Mr Morrison’s chance to demonstrate that his latest rhetoric on climate change is not just another Morrison marketing slogan but will be backed by real action.