Page 29 - IB September 2018 Edition

climate change

and describing climate change “as the a frenzy fuelled by alarm about the
single greatest threat to the livelihoods, electoral effect of high electricity prices,
security and wellbeing” of the region. the rise of ultra-right independents chal-
So the heat is on Morrison from his lenging the Coalition’s hold on the con-
Pacific partners on one side and his servative vote and their eagerness to tap
conservative colleagues on the other, the riches of the country’s largest coal
many of whom want to water down or deposit in Queensland’s Galilee Basin.
abandon the greenhouse gas emissions
commitments Australia made under the Taking the Trumpian path?
Paris Agreement. The immediate trigger for Turnbull’s
In his letter to Morrison, Frank Baini- removal was his National Energy Guar-
marama called for Australia to do more, antee in which he tried in vain to balance
not less – “increased ambition in your the demand for cheaper energy with
commitments under the Paris Agree- Australia’s commitment under the Paris
ment” and “recognition that stronger, Agreement to cut its emissions by 26 per
short-term climate action and a commit- cent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. Scott Morrison with his ‘piece’ of coal. Photo: Supplied
ment to net zero emissions by 2050 is For its part, Labour is pledging a
vital to the Australian people, the secu- 45 per cent reduction so the political
rity of your neighbours in the Pacific and choice for Australian voters when they
the wellbeing of every global citizen.” do get the opportunity to have their say the European Union. But any thought
Bainimarama also made a subtle is stark. that Australia will take more ambitious
contrast between Australia’s attitude Ever trying to placate the right wing action to cut emissions seems wishful
to climate change with that of its big- elements in his Party, Turnbull - once a in the extreme.
gest trading partner, China, when he passionate climate campaigner - went The prospect of Australia or any other
reminded Morrison that any backward so far in his final days as to drop emis- nation for that matter joining the US in
step in Australia’s commitment would sions reduction as a consideration of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement
put it out of step with China and the his energy legislation - something that is a nightmare scenario not only for
Pacific’s other partners. had already raised alarm bells in Pacific Pacific climate leaders like Frank Baini-
“Our partners such as the United Island capitals. marama and Hilda Heine of the Marshall
Kingdom, New Zealand, France, Ger- Yet his own backsliding wasn’t enough Islands but for much of the rest of the
many, Japan, India and China have to save him. And the niggling percep- world as well.
continued their support for the Paris tion that he was moving the Liberals to Trump as the sole global spoiler is
Agreement and are building that com- the left gave rise to a right wing putsch one thing. But were America’s allies like
mitment into trade, economic and se- to try to take Australia down the same Australia to follow him, it could easily
curity relationships. I look forward to path as Donald Trump’s America. And produce a domino effect in which the
continuing that work with Australia as in particular, for Australia to follow the battle for concerted and collective action
well”, he said. US lead and withdraw from the 2015 is significantly undermined, if not lost.
Paris Agreement altogether.
Where coal is king Even with Turnbull out of the way, Fiji ramps up the pressure
The release of the Bainimarama letter leaving the Paris Agreement remains None of these challenges have shaken
set off a Twitter firestorm of support, the specific demand of ultra conservative the determination of Fiji’s COP23 team
much of it from within Australia itself. Liberals like former Prime Minister Tony to keep up the pressure for more ambi-
Some contributors assured the COP23 Abbott. And given that their preferred tious action.
President that before Morrison could do candidate for the leadership, Peter Dut- Despite the looming election at home,
any significant backsliding, he would ton, was eventually beaten by Scott Frank Bainimarama is spending a large
lose office to the Labour opposition, Morrison by only five votes, Morrison part of September fulfilling his global
which has opened up a big lead over is under acute pressure from within responsibilities as COP President. First
the Coalition in opinion polls since the and all eyes are on him to see which at the latest round of climate negotia-
Turnbull coup. way he turns. tions in Bangkok, then at Governor Jerry
But that could be many months away As Islands Business went to press, Brown’s Global Climate Action Summit
or not at all, if the electorate warms to he had yet to formally declare his hand. in California and finally as a significant
Morrison in the meantime and Labour On his first prime ministerial tour of presence at Climate Week at the UN
loses again. drought affected areas of Queensland, General Assembly in New York.
To date, the Australian leader has he refused to be drawn on whether the Bainimarama regards the California
avoided directly stating his personal drought was linked to human-induced Summit as especially important because
position on climate change. But he is climate change, prompting his critics it brings to life the concept of the Grand
generally assumed to be a sceptic of to accuse him of giving the issue “the Coalition for climate action that has been
human-induced warming, not only by middle finger.” the centrepiece of his presidency - the
overtly promoting coal but being part Unnamed senior government sources notion of national governments work-
of the general repudiation of decisive were quoted later as having said that ing with states, regions and cities to
climate action in his own party that Morrison would resist any internal push achieve tangible and lasting progress;
brought him to power in the first place. to walk away from Australia’s commit-
The Liberals have literally torn them- ment to the Paris targets, partly because
selves apart over climate change, in it would jeopardise a free trade deal with Continued on 38

Islands Business, September 2018 29