Australia and the Paris Agreement 2021: A Step in the Right Direction
In 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted by the countries of the world, including Australia. The agreement set out a plan to limit the increase in global temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C. The Paris Agreement also called for countries to regularly report on their progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent years, Australia has faced criticism for its lack of action on climate change. The country is one of the world`s largest emitters of greenhouse gases per capita and has been accused of being a laggard in taking action on climate change.
However, in April 2021, the Australian government announced that it was setting a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030. This is a significant change from the country`s previous target of reducing emissions by 5% below 2005 levels by 2020.
The announcement has been welcomed by many as a step in the right direction. However, some critics argue that the target is not ambitious enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Climate Council, an independent non-profit organization, argues that Australia needs to aim for net-zero emissions by 2050 to meet the Paris Agreement`s goals.
In addition to the emissions target, the Australian government has committed to investing in renewable energy projects, including wind and solar power. It has also pledged to invest in technologies such as carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, and low-emissions steel and aluminum.
The government`s plan has been criticized by some for not doing enough to phase out coal-fired power plants, which are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the country. However, the government has argued that coal will continue to be an important energy source in the country for the foreseeable future and that it plans to invest in technology that will reduce emissions from coal-fired power plants.
Overall, Australia`s announcement of a more ambitious emissions reduction target is a positive step towards meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. However, there is still more work to be done to ensure that Australia is doing its part in the fight against climate change. Investing in renewable energy and developing low-emissions technologies will be crucial to achieving this goal.