Asia Pacific > Australian groups call for 60% carbon cut by 2030

Australian groups call for 60% carbon cut by 2030

Published 04:42 on June 16, 2015  /  Last updated at 04:43 on June 16, 2015  / /  Asia Pacific, Australia

A coalition of over 50 civil society groups on Tuesday called on Australia’s parliament to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 60% below 2000 levels by 2030 and to zero by mid-century.

A coalition of over 50 civil society groups on Tuesday called on Australia’s parliament to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 60% below 2000 levels by 2030 and to zero by mid-century.

In an open letter to parliamentarians, the groups, which included Save the Children, Oxfam, WWF and the Climate Institute, said Australia is not pulling its weight on climate change.

Australia should “reduce emissions by at least 40 per cent below 2000 levels by 2025, at least 60 per cent by 2030, and … lay out a clear pathway for Australia to achieve net zero carbon pollution as soon as possible, by mid-century at the latest”, the letter said.

An IEA report on Monday said the post-2020 climate pledges delivered so far are too weak to keep global warming this century below 2C.

Australia has yet to submit its INDC to the UN, but has a 2020 target of reducing emissions 5% from 2000 levels, far softer than what the civil society groups called for on Tuesday.

“Australia is currently not doing enough to cut carbon pollution and is not lifting our weight globally. We cannot expect poorer nations to do more of the heavy lifting,” the letter said.

By Stian Reklev – stian@carbon-pulse.com

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