‘International developments’ hanging over Australia’s climate targets

Events abroad are hanging over Australia’s climate change targets, the Climate Change and Energy Minister says.

Australia’s climate agency is weighing up “international developments” as it mulls over the country’s 2035 emissions reduction target, Chris Bowen says.

The Climate Change and Energy Minister has been somewhat cautious on giving any hints of where the target may fall, saying he would not release it until the next federal election.

Mr Bowen said on Wednesday he did not know when that would be but that he was still waiting for the target anyway.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the Climate Change Authority is weighing up ‘international developments’. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“I’ve got to wait for Climate Change Authority advice,” he told the ABC.

“They’ll come to me when they’re ready. They’re well advanced, but they’re looking at international developments.”

Asked if those developments included the prospect of Donald Trump withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Accords, Mr Bowen said it was more about “world decarbonisation plans”.

US president-elect Donald Trump has included a withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in a suite of drafted executive orders. Picture: Allison ROBBERT / AFP

“No, I’m talking about the impact of world decarbonisation plans on us because we are integral to the world energy market,” he said.

“So of course it has some impact. (The Climate Change Authority) look at our domestic circumstances, they look at what’s happening around the world.

“They give me advice. I consider that advice.

“I then take it to cabinet. Cabinet considers my position. When that process is complete, not a day before, not a day after, that’s when we’ll release our 2035 targets.”

US president-elect Trump has included a withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in a suite of drafted executive orders.

Originally published as ‘International developments’ hanging over Australia’s climate targets