COP26 Glasgow summit explainer: Australia ’under pressure to do more on climate change
Scott Morrison is heading to a crucial chinwag with world leaders but the plan he’s taking has already been labelled a “joke”.
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Now, somewhat belatedly, Australia has a net zero emissions plan Scott Morrison might be hoping he can head to a crucial global climate summit in the UK with his head held high.
But climate watchers have said the Prime Minister could still receive a frosty reception in Glasgow with Australia likely to come “under pressure” to set tougher targets.
The United Nations’ COP26 climate summit begins in the Scottish city on Sunday with representatives from around the world.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will greet Mr Morrison as well as US President Joe Biden, France’s Emmanuel Macron, India’s Narendra Modi and Canada’s Justin Trudeau among many others.
Time Is Nowis part of news.com.au’s partnership with the Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub, looking at the impacts of climate change across Australia by 2050
The summit will assess progress on a global aim to take steps to keep rising temperatures down to 1.5C to 2C above pre industrial levels.
But in August, the UN warned that this aim was slipping away with a “code red for humanity” report stating temperatures had already gone up by 1.1C and could get to near 2C by 2040.
Australia’s net zero plan panned
Australia had been one of the few out of the G20 list of most advanced nations not to commit to a net zero emissions by goal – a goal seen as vital to keeping temperatures in check.
Canberra now has a goal, but it was a close run thing with Mr Morrison announcing it less than a week prior to the Glasgow summit.
“Australians want action on climate change … but they also want to protect their jobs and their livelihoods,” he said.
The PM said the plan got the “balance right” and “charts a uniquely Australian way”.
But it’s been criticised for having few new policies to get to net zero; relying too much on as yet unproven technologies to get emissions down and not enshrining the target in law.
“It’s a scam, not a plan,” Opposition spokesman for Climate Change Chris Bowen said.
The Climate Council’s Simon Bradshaw said Australia was “dead last” of all developed nations because it didn’t have ambitious targets to cut emissions by 2030, unlike the US and UK.
“The Morrison government’s net zero by 2050 announcement is a joke without strong emissions cuts this decade,” he told CNN.
Talking to news.com.au, Anna Malos, country lead at Melbourne-based non-profit organisation ClimateWorks said the government’s plan was the very least Australia had to do.
“Having a net zero target is almost like a point of entry to Glasgow.
“But Australia will still be under pressure.”
The COP26 summit begins on Sunday, October 31 and continues for two weeks.
Here are the key things you need to know about the Glasgow climate fest.
What does COP26 mean?
COP26 is the easier way to refer to the conference avoiding the full name which is, deep breath, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties. To avoid that mouthful it’s COP26 or, even more simply, the Glasgow summit.
What does the conference decide?
Ms Malos said that the annual climate conferences bring together different countries to agree to actions and a legal framework to avoid dangerous climate change.
The central text of the summit is the Paris Agreement, ratified after the 2015 Paris summit.
“The Paris Agreement is the rule book. It sets out the overall objective to limit global warming to well under 2C and to strive for 1.5C,” she said.
“And then it sets other goals like net zero.
“Countries that have signed up to Paris, like Australia, need to put in place a target every five years that is more ambitious as their contribution towards that global goal.
“There’s been an improvement but it’s not enough to get to 1.5C. And that’s increasingly important for Australia that has those real extremes of climate and ecosystems at risk like the Great Barrier Reef”.
COPs happen every year, so why is Glasgow more important?
Because that five year period for assessing how the world has performed against Paris is up. So it’s an important climate milestone.
It’s actually six years since the 2015 Paris summit but if Covid-19 could take out the Olympics, it certainly do the same to a climate conference. So everyone’s just ignoring there was no summit in 2020.
“Countries will be asked what they are going to do by 2030. They’ve been asked to increase their ambition because the UN has said that global action today is not enough to be on track to limiting global warming.”
What are the key dates?
The first few days of the Glasgow summit – Monday, November 1 to Tuesday, November 2 – are the World Leaders Summit. So that will be full of photo opps and soothing speeches.
After that, the leaders scarper and leave their minions to work out the details with a statement expected on Friday November 15.
Who’s going to Glasgow?
Lots of world leaders will be greeted by PM Johnson. But there will be some significant snubs as well. Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping won’t head to Glasgow. However, Mr Xi hasn’t left China since the pandemic
But it doesn’t bode well that the leaders of two of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases will be a no show. Both countries insist they will have teams of people at Glasgow.
Aside from heads of state, activist and global climate superstar Greta Thunberg will appear at a protest as well as Sir David Attenborough and even film star Matt Damon could pop by.
It was thought the Pope might turn up, but he’s just had colon surgery. Besides, he will meet lots of leaders at the G20 summit in Rome just before the COP26. The Queen, also poorly, is unlikely to now head to Glasgow.
What reception will Australia get?
There will be some leaning on Australia to do more. Setting bolder emission goals for 2030 will be one area.
“There will also be a lot of pressure, particularly from some of our neighbours like the Pacific Islands to formalise the importance of 1.5C,” said Ms Malos.
“And as a wealthy country, Australia will also be under pressure to contribute to climate finance, to help developing countries around mitigation and adaptation.”
How will we know if Glasgow has been a success?
“It will be a mix of things. So which of the rules do get signed off this year? And how much consensus is there around the world?” said Ms Malos.
A good sign will be if other nations follow the UK, EU and US’ lead in upping climate targets.
The conference will conclude with some sport of “Glasgow statement” wrapping up what’s been decided. If it’s woolly and vague then many will deem COP26 a failure.
“I think there’ll be clear progress in some areas,” Ms Malos said.
“But in others it could be that highly diplomatic language, which makes the best out of the progress that has been made but is less clear about other things.
“I imagine it’ll be a mixed picture from Glasgow”.
Originally published as COP26 Glasgow summit explainer: Australia ’under pressure to do more on climate change
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