Greenpeace have today leaked details from the IPCC climate report draft that show Australia tried to rewrite the report to promote coal and weaken the report’s conclusions.

The leaks show the Australian Government tried to have sections about phasing out coal removed, saying coal has a future due to carbon capture and storage.

The comments also show the government tried to have Australia removed from the list of leading fossil fuel producers and consumers, despite Australia being the 5th largest producer.

The Greens will take their fight for strong 2030 targets and greater protection for our environment all the way to Glasgow next month, with Senator Sarah Hanson-Young announced as the party’s representative at COP 26.

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP said:

“If the Liberals and Labor won’t take any 2030 climate targets to Glasgow, the Greens will,” Mr Bandt said.

“Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will represent the Greens’ calls for bold cuts to emissions in this critical decade for climate action. 

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP has said that the first ramifications for Australia’s climate delays are starting to show, with the EU ambassador warning that Australia may face carbon tariffs if Scott Morrison doesn’t stump up to Glasgow with strong 2030 targets.

“With no 2030 ambition, Scott Morrison’s going to Glasgow empty handed and he’ll return with carbon tariffs,” Mr Bandt said. 

“By cowardly submitting to Barnaby Joyce over 2030 targets, Scott Morrison has put a target on Australia’s back, exposing our exporters to carbon tariffs.

As Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce parade their way towards a fraudulent ‘2050’ climate deal that includes the expansion of coal and gas, the Liberal and National parties’ refusal to lift 2030 targets sets Australia on course to fail the Paris Agreement temperature goals. 

The primary aim of the Glasgow climate summit is to lift 2030 targets. World leaders including Joe Biden and Boris Johnson have pressed Australia and other countries to lift 2030 targets.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP has called on the Prime Minister to take heed of the UK Cabinet’s demands of Australia, calling him a ‘coward’ for trying to avoid the upcoming climate summit.

Today, COP26 President and UK Cabinet Minister Alok Sharma has reportedly called upon the Prime Minister to attend the Glasgow Summit, and to bring updated 2030 targets of 45-50% with him.

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt has said that Scott Morrison’s reported intention to avoid appearing at the COP26 Glasgow Climate Summit is a dangerous abrogation of his responsibility to act on climate change and threatens to slow global progress.

“If Scott Morrison doesn’t want to lead the country on climate, he should hand the reins to someone who does,” Mr Bandt said. 

Overnight, China announced at the UN that they would cease building new coal plants, signalling a further, faster global transition out of coal.

The Greens also seized on new polling showing Australians want to get out of coal and increase our 2030 climate targets.

Both Liberal and Labor have repeatedly said they see coal exports continuing even beyond 2050, and while the government’s 2030 target is being internationally condemned, Labor has no 2030 target at all.

The Greens have reiterated their call for Australia to act in line with the climate science and UN call to quit coal, with an RBA report estimating the impact on the Australian economy would be as low as 0.1% of GDP.