Winston Peters walks back Jacinda Ardern’s carbon challenge

Winston Peters warns Pacific nations need to look at the “big picture” on climate.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters Picture: AFP.

NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters has walked back his prime minister’s challenge to Scott Morrison to explain Australia’s position on climate change, saying Pacific nations need to look at the “big picture”, including China’s massive coal-fired economy.

The NZ deputy PM told ABC radio this morning that calls for Australia to “step-up” on climate change were a “bit of a paradox” as many Pacific countries were seeking cheap loans from China “on the back of coal-fired everything”.

Mr Peters’ comments came after PM Jacinda Ardern said every nation needed to “do its bit” to fight climate change, and “Australia has to answer to the Pacific” for its own emissions policies.

“There’s a big picture we have to contemplate where we have to ensure that when we act in this big picture, we act with consistency and integrity,” Mr Peters said.

The Foreign Minister acknowledged that the island nations were desperately concerned about their long-term longevity, but said China’s emissions also needed to be factored into the discussion.

“You need to look at everybody, not just Australia, but also who is getting that coal and what things they are doing with it.”

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He encouraged Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Tuvalu to “look at all the details”, and downplayed concerns Mr Morrison was out of step with his counterparts.

In conciliatory comments after Ms Ardern said Australia would be held accountable by the Pacific for its emissions policies, Mr Peters said he was “slightly worried” there was an outward perception Mr Morrison was “somehow acting incorrectly” when that wasn’t the “real picture at all.”

PIF leaders this morning went into a retreat to negotiate the final wording of the Fanufuti Declaration, which small island states want to include a strong statement about transitioning away from coal, limiting temperatures to 1.5 degrees, and replenishing the UN’s Green Climate Fund.

Mr Morrison, who is pushing back against all three demands while simultaneously defending his “Pacific step-up”, told counterparts the nation’s “coal dependency has been falling”, and “record renewables investments” was underway across Australia.

He also raised economic and cultural security, amid growing Chinese influence in the region.

It’s understood he will contrast China’s environmental performance, including its massive reliance on coal-fired power, to that of Australia.

China has 981,000MW of installed coal generation capacity, compared to Australia’s 25,150MW.

Mr Morrison has committed an extra $500 million this week to Pacific climate change resilience projects, on top of $300 million announced by the Turnbull government.

Ms Ardern today announced she would set aside $150m of New Zealand’s $300m global climate change development assistance to the Pacific, but did not provide additional funding.

When asked whether Australia was at risk of alienating Pacific nations because of its climate change stance, Mr Peters said the island countries should remember Australia has been a “great neighbour” to the Pacific.

“They should remember who has been their long term and short term friends,” he said.

Ms Ardern yesterday talked up her government’s support for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees — 0.5 degrees less than advocated by Australia.

“Every single little bit matters,” Ms Ardern said. “So that is why New Zealand has joined that international call. That is why we speak I believe strongly on the international stage around these issues.

“But ultimately we all have to take responsibility for ourselves … Australia has to answer to the Pacific. That is a matter for them.”

Labor leader Anthony Albanese echoed Ms Ardern’s calls for Australia to “step up” over global warming.

Speaking with reporters in Sydney today, Mr Albanese lashed Scott Morrison’s response, saying Australia needed to be a part of the global solution.

“The fact is Scott Morrison needs to be a part of the global solution and in particular needs to relate to the Pacific Islands,” Mr Albanese said. “It’s no good going to a conference and reallocating $500 million of foreign aid with no new money and pretending you’re making a difference.”

He also took aim at the Morrison’s government lack of climate change or energy policies.

Mr Albanese praised the pacific islands nations for raising their concerns with their counterparts at the conference.

“They have been been very consistent in calling out everyone in the global community,” he said. “They understand they’re literally at the frontline of climate change.”