SYDNEY, May 2, 2018 – French President Emmanuel Macron’s indictment of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s failure to act on climate change should be a powerful motivator for Australia to get its act together. On the first day of his Australian trip Mr Macron told politicians, business leaders and journalists at a dinner at Sydney Opera House that entire Pacific states were at risk and more needed to be done to address climate change urgently, urging Turnbull to show the “power of conviction.”
“I am fully aware of the political and economic debate surrounding this issue in your country, and I respect this. But I think that actual leaders are those that can respect those existing interests, but at the same time decide to participate to something broader, to something more strategic,” the ABC quoted Mr Macron as saying.
The comments come as Mr Turnbull tries to negotiate his controversial National Energy Guarantee (NEG) with the states and territories. The scheme has been widely criticised for its weak emissions reduction targets, for acting as a brake on renewables investment, and for entrenching of coal-fired power generation for years to come.
“Malcolm Turnbull’s world-famous failure to act on climate change is already doing lasting damage to our foreign relations, whether it be in France or with our Pacific Island neighbours, let alone the climate,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific Campaigner Jonathan Moylan said.
“Australia’s status as the world’s largest coal exporter must now be seen as a badge of shame, and Turnbull must lead from the front on the global stage to urgently accelerate action to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C warming limit.”
For interviews:
Martin Zavan, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Communications Campaigner
0424 295 422 / [email protected]