In the name of the climate emergency.
Australia will “very soon” present more ambitious greenhouse gas emissions targets and will be a candidate to co-host a UN COP climate summit with the Pacific Islands, the Commission announced on Thursday. Minister of Foreign Affairs.
On her first overseas visit alone since the election of a new centre-left government, Penny Wong marked a shift in her country's climate policy, admitting Australia had "neglected its responsibility" in the past.
New goals by 2050
Penny Wong assured her hosts in Fiji's capital Suva that Canberra would no longer "disrespect" Pacific nations and "ignore" their calls for action on climate change.
“We were elected on a program to reduce emissions (of greenhouse gases) by 43% by 2030 and achieve (carbon) neutrality by 2050,” she added.
“And these are not just words, we will enshrine it in law and very soon we will submit a new contribution at the national level to the UNFCCC” (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).
Under the previous Conservative government, Australia – one of the world's largest coal and gas exporters – regularly played spoilsport in international climate negotiations.
Penny Wong has said she wants to erase that image by co-hosting an upcoming climate summit.
"We have proposed to co-host a future United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) with Pacific Island countries and I look forward to further discussions in the region on this idea," the minister said.
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