The ABC (14.8.15) reports that Australia’s Climate Change Authority head, Bernie Fraser, has said in a statement the Authority has recommended reductions of 45-63 per cent by 2030.
‘Along with other countries, Australia has agreed to work towards reducing emissions to levels consistent with limiting global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — this remains a challenging task.
‘Measured against the reductions in emissions required to deliver a reasonable chance of limiting global warming to 2 degrees, all countries have a lot more work to do over the decades ahead.’
The Guardian reports that the UK’s climate adviser on emissions targets says ‘Australia’s “pathetic” 2030 emissions reduction target shows the country has opted out of the global effort to limit warming, according to the head of the British government’s climate change advisory body.
‘Lord Deben, previously a minister in the government of Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher, said Australia’s 26% to 28% reduction in emissions by 2030, based on 2005 levels was “simply not enough”.
‘“Australia is fundamentally out of step and this decision puts Australia among the ‘don’t cares’ of the international community,” said Deben, who is the chairman of the Committee on Climate Change.