As the Glasgow climate summit comes to a head and the Liberals’ weak 2030 targets place Australia under increasing pressure, Scott Morrison is again readying Australia to sabotage a global climate consensus by blocking political momentum for a ‘ratcheting up’ of 2030 targets.

With Australia failing to raise ambition for 2030, the draft communique from COP26 is planning to specifically call upon nations who have insufficient mid-term targets to return next year to COP27 in Egypt with increased ambition consistent with the science.

The Greens have vowed to fight Scott Morrison’s move to bankroll carbon capture and storage, saying public funds should not be funnelled to billionaire coal and gas corporations for unicorn technology.  

“The way to tackle climate change is to get out of fossil fuels, but Scott Morrison wants to funnel public funds to coal and gas corporations for a unicorn technology they haven’t been able to make work themselves,” said Greens Leader, Adam Bandt.

At an event last night to mark the 10th anniversary of the carbon price being legislated, Greens Leader Adam Bandt - whose victory in the seat of Melbourne led to the establishment of a Multi-Party Climate Change Committee that developed a world-leading suite of climate policies - has released modelling showing the carbon price was operating so effectively that had it not been repealed, the Liberals weak 2030 targets would have been met in 2020, a full decade early.

Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young responded to comments made today by Resources Minister Keith Pitt and the response in Glasgow to Australia's poor showing at COP26:

"Our allies around the world came to Glasgow with strong 2030 targets and a commitment to get out of coal and curb methane. The arrogant Morrison Government showed up with their plan to dig deeper into coal and gas and with absolutely no intention to take COP26 seriously.

The Greens say today’s report that more than 98% of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral reefs have suffered bleaching is a damning indictment of the Morrison Government’s climate inaction and exposes the sickening cynicism of its campaign to keep the Reef off UNESCO’s “in danger” list earlier this year.

Greens deputy leader and Queensland Senator Larissa Waters said:

“Climate change and pollution have already killed off half of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover, endangering this precious natural asset and the 60,000 jobs that rely on it.

Scott Morrison has departed Glasgow after committing Australia to the international consortium of climate sabotage alongside Russia and Saudi Arabia.

​​In a major announcement, more than 40 countries have agreed to phase out coal-fired power, but Australia has refused to sign on, with Liberal and Labor instead wanting more coal and gas.

As global momentum grows to match commitments with the goals of the Paris agreement, Australia is running a protection racket for coal and gas through accounting tricks, “non binding targets”, interference and delay tactics.

The Greens have slammed the PM’s refusal to sign the EU and US global methane pledge, after it was announced this morning that over 100 countries have now become signatories.

It is appalling that Labor is also refusing to back the pledge.

The pledge commits to reducing global methane emissions by 30% on 2020 levels by 2030 and would significantly reduce warming.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young commenting from COP26 in Glasgow this morning local time: 

“Mr Morrison has had a disaster of a world trip - from Rome to Glasgow, he has been embarrassed and called out for his lack of trustworthiness and lack of commitment.

“Here in Glasgow Scott Morrison’s word is mud. Rather than being a respected world leader, the Prime Minister is will leave here with a bad reputation for being a blocker, a liar and sop to the fossil fuel industry.

Scott Morrison has been caught lying in his speech to world leaders at Glasgow, deliberately misrepresenting Australia’s climate targets in his major official engagement at the climate summit. 

Australian Greens International Development spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to Scott Morrison’s commitment to an additional $500 million in climate finance through to 2025.

Senator Faruqi said:

“This is a disappointing, measly commitment. Australia’s total commitment falls far short of the bare minimum $3 billion to 2025 that was called for by aid organisations ahead of Glasgow.

“Morrison is offering up scraps and hoping no one notices. But the reality is that Australia is again failing to pull its weight.