The Saturday Paper, Post, 9 November 2021:
Multiple investigations indicate Australia is significantly underreporting its emissions, as COP26 organisers ramp up pressure on the nation to strengthen its 2030 emissions target.
What we know:
- Australia is among of a host of countries systematically underreporting emissions to the UN, including the removal of substantial emissions from megafires fanned by climate change (The Washington Post);
- Separate analysis of satellite imagery of land clearing indicates Australia is also probably understating emissions from deforestation (The Guardian);
- Resources Minister Keith Pitt made international headlines for his promise that Australia will continue exporting coal “for decades to come” (France 24);
- Analysis by Global Witness finds there “there are more delegates at COP26 associated with the fossil fuel industry than from any single country” (BBC);
- COP26 organisers are working out a plan to pressure countries like Australia that have not strengthened their 2030 targets at the summit to do so in 2022 (The Guardian);
- The Morrison government has unveiled a plan to partner with the private sector to fund 50,000 electric vehicle charging stations (ABC);
- Industry groups criticised the electric vehicle plan for failing to include subsidies, tax incentives, sales targets or minimum fuel emission standards.
