The
latest figures on the nation’s greenhouse emissions, released late on Friday
September 28 show that carbon pollution continues to rise. In the twelve months to March 31 2018 total
emissions increased by 1.3% from the year before.
What is
interesting is the positive spin federal politicians can put this very poor
result. The new federal Environment
Minister, Melissa Price, has claimed that this increase “shows Australia is on
track to beat its 2020 emissions target.”
The
latest figures for our emissions were 1.9% below the 2000 levels. Our 2020 target is to be 5% lower than the
2000 level. A further indicator is the 2005 emissions level. In
relation this level, the 2020 target is to be 11.2 % below the levels in the
year to March 2018.
It is
astounding that Price can claim we’re “on track” when, even if drastic cuts were
possible, it would be extremely unlikely that
the target for 2020 could be met.
Significant emissions reduction is impossible because the Government has
no effective climate policy and its energy policy is a shambles following the
dumping of the National Electricity Guarantee (NEG). For Price’s claim to become a reality, something
miraculous is obviously going to happen in less than two years!
The
Prime Minister is also unjustifiably optimistic about curbing Australia’s emissions
given the lack of any effective policies to do so. On September 30, a few days
after the new emissions figures were released, he claimed that Australia would
reach its 2030 targets “in a canter”.
The 2030 targets are the commitment the Australian Government made at
the Paris climate summit. That
commitment is for a cut of 26% below our 2005 levels.
Emissions
have increased every quarter since the end of the carbon price period in
2014. The policies introduced by the
Coalition Government following the abandonment of carbon pricing have been ineffective
and have obviously failed at cutting emissions.
No part of positive political spin by the Prime Minister or his
ministers can alter that.
An
increasing majority of Australians want effective action on climate change
rather than mindless political spin.
- Leonie Blain
This article was originally published in the VOICES FOR THE EARTH column in The Daily Examiner on October 8, 2018.
