The Morrison-Joyce Government’s refusal to take serious action on climate change including committing to net zero emissions by 2050 continues to undermine its own Pacific Step-up and damages our interests.
Yesterday two Pacific leaders called on the Prime Minister to do more to reduce emissions for the sake of their region.
Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa singled out Australia as a nation that needs to lift its weight on taking strong climate action and increase our 2030 emissions reductions target, saying Scott Morrison would “not like me for giving these answers but this is not new to him – the Pacific position has always been very clear”.
This came as Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said that it was his “expectation for every country, Australia and New Zealand included” to keep their commitments in line with the Paris agreement.
He also referenced Scott Morrison’s waning interest in attending the COP26 conference in Glasgow, saying “we know there are leaders who hope to sneak in and out of Glasgow without making a single serious commitment that will save our planet for coming generations. We cannot let them.”
For years Pacific leaders have stated that the biggest threat to their livelihoods is climate change and have called on Australia to step up and take meaningful action to help reduce its impacts.
Mr Morrison’s Pacific Step-up promises Australia will be a steadfast partner on climate, but how can Mr Morrison be trusted to deliver this if he continues to ignore these pleas?
The Prime Minister has joined his National Party colleagues in scaremongering and scepticism on climate change for years, and now his chickens have come home to roost.
The Morrison-Joyce Government’s climate chaos and neglect undermines our credibility in the region and leaves Australia increasingly isolated on the world stage.
The buck stops with him.