Antinuclear

Conservative British Lord ‘staggered’ at Tony Abbott’s hubris on climate change

“If the rest of the world followed Australia’s lead, the Great Barrier Reef would disappear”

‘Tony Abbott’s hubris is staggering’: UK’s climate adviser on emissions target, Guardian, Oliver Milman, 12 Aug 15   Lord Deben, head of the British government’s climate change advisory body, says Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target puts it among the ‘don’t cares’ 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.

“Global warming won’t wait for Mr Abbott and his government. Mr Abbott’s hubris is staggering.”

Deben, formerly known as John Gummer, said Australia’s “pathetic” target showed it had “opted out of the greatest physical challenge of our times” and ignored the leadership of US president Barack Obama, the European Union and Pope Francis.

“Australia’s friends know she could do so much better than this and all of us abroad will work with all those people who are determined to overturn this irrational decision,” he said.

The condemnation of Australia’s climate commitment, to be taken to crunch international talks in Paris later this year, was echoed by the foreign minister of the Marshall Islands – one of the low-lying Pacific nations at acute risk from sea level rises.

“Australia’s weak target is another serious blow to its international reputation,” said Tony de Brum.

“As with prime minister Abbott’s attempt to ignore climate change when hosting the G20 last year, this will send a serious shudder through the Pacific and raise concern amongst its closest allies, including the United States and Europe.”

De Brum, who has repeatedly called on Australia to show regional leadership on climate change, said it was disappointing Abbott had not embraced clean energy more readily.

If the rest of the world followed Australia’s lead, the Great Barrier Reef would disappear

“If the rest of the world followed Australia’s lead, the Great Barrier Reef would disappear,” he said. “So would my country, and the other vulnerable atoll nations on Australia’s doorstep.”…….http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/12/tony-abbotts-hubris-is-staggering-uks-climate-adviser-on-emissions-target

August 14, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News