Australia PM doubtful to attend the climate conference

C: https://www.bloomberg.com/

Australia PM has signaled that he may not attend the landmark climate conference of the UN in November. His government is facing continuous criticism for its poor climate record.

In an interview, Scott Morrison said that he has not yet made any final decisions on attending the event. For him, it is another trip overseas, and he has spent a lot of time in quarantine. The COP26 summit will be the biggest talk on the climate crisis.

It is also hoped that the 12-day meeting of the world leaders in Glasgow, Scotland, will produce the next standard of emission to slow down global warming and to keep the temperature below 1.5C.

But Mr. Morrison said that he would consider other priorities that would even include the reopening of Australia borders.

“I have to focus on things here and with Covid. Australia will be opening up around that time. There will be a lot of issues to manage, and I have to manage those competing demands,” he said.

Australia is one of the top exporters of coal and gas. It is also about to present its updated 2030 emission cuts at that meeting.

His government wants a restaurant to make a commitment for net-zero by 2050. The US, UK, and other developed nations have already pledged for this goal. Australia had been facing constant criticism for the slow climate progress with heavy reliance on coal-fired power. It is also making Australia the most carbon polluting nation in the globe per capita.

Canberra is also much protective of its industry of fossil fuel. It had pledged to continue with its mining and trading of dirty goods as there is demand in Asia.

In July, a report from the UN had ranked it last out of 170 nations for its response to climate change. Despite the claims to Australia, the UN previously said that the nation is on its track to reach its modest Paris Agreement targets with 26-28% of the cut.

Mr. Morrison became the Australia PM in 2018. He has consistently defended the climate policies of Australia. The nation had experienced a fire in the summer season of 2091 -2020. During that time, he received criticism for downplaying the role of climate change.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said that if Mr. Morrisond did not attend, there would be other senior-level representation at the summit.

Credits: BBC

Ishita Paul