PERTH (miningweekly.com) – A new report by the Climate Council has ranked Australia in last place out of all developed countries, for its performance on climate change.

The report assessed both Australia’s track record on climate and its commitments moving forward against its international peers and found that Australia is the worst performing when it comes to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and moving beyond fossil fuels. 

Almost all developed countries have committed to net zero emissions by 2050, and substantially strengthened their 2030 targets ahead of Glasgow, with major powers including the UK, EU, the US and China racing to gain advantage in the global energy transition and even their defence planning. Meanwhile, Australia remains a fossil fuel giant, with coal and gas industries that are among the world’s biggest drivers of climate change, the Climate Council said in a statement.

“A commitment to net zero by 2050 would still leave Australia dead last, unless accompanied by a much stronger commitment to cutting emissions this decade,” said report lead author and Climate Council head of research Dr Simon Bradshaw.

“This is a defining moment in the world’s response to climate change, and Australia remains the villain, and an outlier in the international community,” said Bradshaw. 

The Climate Council noted that Australia was being left behind, and facing unprecedented international pressure from its allies, security partners and neighbours to do better.

“A commitment and plan for rapidly cutting our emissions this decade will unlock investment, grow new export industries and create new jobs in our regions thanks to our world-class renewable energy resources and enviable mineral reserves.

“As we head towards crucial negotiations in Glasgow, this report takes stock of the world’s response to the climate crisis and what Australia needs to deliver if it is to play its part in protecting future generations and realise the economic benefits of stronger action,” the Climate Council said in statement.

The Climate Council noted that in order to meet the goals of the COP26, Australia would need to substantially strenghten its emission reduction target for 2030, commit funding to support climate change action in developing countries, and commit to immediately end public funding for coal and oil and gas.