PM queries Aust, NZ policies on climate change.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has questioned the commitment of Australia and New Zealand on climate change.

“These two neighbours of ours (Australia and New Zealand), they are leading PIF (Pacific Islands Forum) but the most important thing to PIF right now is climate change.”

Prime Minister was responding to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald where China and other big green house emitters have challenged Australia over its Climate Change policies.

In the article China accused Australia of doing less to cut emissions than it is demanding of other developed countries and asked it to explain why this was fair.

Mr Bainimarama said: “All the nations, all the countries in the Pacific worry about climate change than about anything else.

“But their (Australia and New Zealand) policies are totally at extreme ends to the policies of the Pacific island nations. Then how can they represent us?”

The SMH article said: “Beijing also questioned the Abbott government’s emissions reduction fund – the centerpiece of its direct action policy under which the government will pay some emitters to make cuts – would be enough to make up for the axed carbon price and meet Australia’s commitment of a minimum 5 per cent emissions cut below 2000 levels by 2020.”

The questions have been lodged with the United Nations for Australia to answer in the lead-up to the December climate summit in Paris, where the world is supposed to sign a global deal to combat climate change. In the article, Brazil accused Australia of having a “low level of ambition”, and asked whether it would boost its target to cut emissions more quickly.

“Erwin Jackson, deputy chief executive of the Climate Institute and a long-time observer of climate negotiations, said the questions showed the international community saw Australia’s commitments as “woefully inadequate” for it to do its fair share in meeting the agreed global target of keeping warming to within 2 degrees,” the article reads.

“The Abbott government does not have a climate policy beyond 2020, and several local analysts have found it is unlikely to reach its 5 per cent target by 2020 as the direct action policy stands.

“Australia is expected to submit written answers before its performance is assessed at a UN climate meeting in Germany in June.”

Questions were sent to the Australia and New Zealand High Commissions yesterday but no response was received when this issue went to press.

Feedback: farisha.ahmed@fijisun.com.fj