‘Bankable’: Morrison promotes Australia’s climate record at US summit

Washington: Scott Morrison has told a summit of world leaders that Australia is on a pathway to achieve net zero emissions as he hit out at carbon taxes for destroying industries and eliminating jobs.

Suggesting that other countries may make impressive climate pledges while failing to deliver on them, Morrison said the international community could rely on Australia because it only made “bankable” promises on emissions reduction.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the start of the White House climate summit.Credit: Jessica Hromas

The beginning of the summit, which is being held virtually, was marred by technical glitches. Morrison’s microphone was muted for the early part of his speech, meaning those watching could not make out what he was saying.

“Mr Prime Minister, I’m not sure we’re hearing you here,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said before the sound was restored.

Morrison’s speech followed an announcement by US President Joe Biden of an ambitious new target of a 50-52 per cent cut in America’s emissions by 2030 based on 2005 levels.

The Japanese, British and Canadian prime ministers also used the summit to commit to new 2030 targets.

Morrison struck a different tone from many other leaders by saying that Australia was focused on the question of how it could reduce greenhouse emissions through technology rather than setting targets.

“Future generations will thank us not for what we have promised but for what we deliver and on that score Australia can be relied upon,” Morrison said.

“It’s right to speak to our ambitions at this summit, it’s also right to focus on performance.”

The climate summit was held virtually due to the pandemic.Credit: Jessica Hromas

Morrison assured Biden and the other world leaders that they could “always be sure the commitments Australia makes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are bankable”.

“We have proven performance, transparent emissions accounting and transformative technology targets to unlock pathways to net zero,” he said.

Without announcing a specific timeline, Morrison said: “Australia is on the pathway to net zero.

“Our goal is to get there as soon as we possibly can through technology that enables and transforms our industries, not taxes that eliminate them and the jobs and livelihoods they support and create – especially in our regions.”

Other leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, stressed the importance of carbon price mechanisms, such as carbon taxes, in their speeches to the summit.

Morrison said that Australia was well on its way to “meet and beat” its Paris Accord commitments and that it would update its emissions reduction strategy before the November climate summit in Glasgow.

In his opening speech to the summit, organised by the White House, Biden described climate change as the “existential crisis of our time”.

“This is the decisive decade,” he said.

“The United States isn’t waiting. We are resolving to take action.”

Biden said the world faces a “moment of peril but also extraordinary possibilities” when it comes to tackling climate change.

“The countries that take decisive action now to create the industries of the future will be the ones that reap the benefits of the clean energy boom that’s coming,” he said.

“We really have no choice. We have to get this done.”

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced that Japan would strive to cut its 2030 emissions by 46 per cent from 2013 levels, up from its earlier goal of 26 per cent. Suga said Japan would try to push the reduction as high as 50 per cent.

“It will not be easy,” Suga said.

Trudeau announced that Canada would aim to reduce its emissions by 40-45 per cent by 2030 based on 2005 levels, up from 30 per cent previously.

Canada was on track to “blow past” its previous climate target, he said.

Many speakers at the summit praised Biden for again claiming a leadership role for the US on climate change after his predecessor Donald Trump withdrew the country from the Paris Accords.

“I’m delighted to see the United States is back,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

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