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9 Aug, 18 tweets, 6 min read
Hey @AngusTaylorMP last night you claimed Australia's climate record "is one of delivery and achievement".
To use a technical term, that is complete crap.
Here are 14 times Australia’s record has been highlighted as embarrassingly bad on your watch. #IPCC
minister.industry.gov.au/ministers/tayl…
In a UN report released in July 2021, Australia ranked dead last in climate action amongst over 170 UN members analysed: washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/…
In December 2019, an international study found that Australia was the worst-performing country on climate change policy, according to an international ranking of more than countries: theguardian.com/environment/20…
In the same comparative ranking, done one year later, Australia was found to have moved up two places, from last, to very, very nearly last behind Trump’s USA: ccpi.org/country/aus/
Just this week, new research showed that out of OECD countries and Russia, Australia is ranked 22/24 on renewable share of electricity generation
australiainstitute.org.au/post/new-analy…
The stat that your government uses of a 20% emissions cut since 2005 is based on an untruth. If you take out land clearing for farming, Australia’s emissions have actually grown by 7%.
australiainstitute.org.au/wp-content/upl…
Per capita without land use change, our C02 emissions are higher than any other country. We are making a far over-sized commitment to global climate damage.
Australia has increased its fossil fuel subsidies by 48.2% between 2015 and 2019 - the highest percentage increase of all G20 countries.
assets.bbhub.io/professional/s…
In July 2020, Australia also became the world’s biggest exporter of coal and gas. Our exported emissions are greater than the domestic pollution of Germany, Canada, Turkey and the UK - our current major export is climate damage. climatejustice.co/wp-content/upl…
Australia also has one of the worst rates of deforestation in the world. In fact, we are the only developed country to feature in the top 10 nations for deforestation:
​​ gfw.global/3xtLg08
In November 2020 the Global Climate Transparency Report on G20 countries called Australia’s effort ’embarrassing’, finding it remained one of the largest users and producers of fossil fuels: ​​ reneweconomy.com.au/australias-cli…
The Morrison government’s climate performance is so bad an unofficial international alliance of senior diplomats felt it needed to intervene:
theguardian.com/australia-news…
In December 2020 at the Climate Ambition Summit co-convened by our traditional allies, the UK and France, Australia was ‘snubbed’ and not invited to speak because of our lack of ambition: theguardian.com/australia-news…
Also in December 2020, Australia was one of only three countries awarded the shameful ‘Fossil of the Five Years’ by the peak global umbrella of climate groups, for ‘Not Honouring the 1.5 degree Commitment’: climatenetwork.org/resource/2020-…
And at the last global climate talks (COP25) in Madrid in 2019, Australia twice won the shameful ‘Fossil of the Day’: theguardian.com/environment/20…
I could go on, but you get the point. This is a shameful record. All over the world, people look at you with mystification & wonder why the Morrison government doesn't act, given the fires, the bleaching of the Reef and Australia's massive renewable resources.
And all this in a nation where 71% of Australians think we should be a world leader on climate action and 83% support the closure of coal-burning power stations. australiainstitute.org.au/wp-content/upl…
Australians are a decent people being led to obscene consequences by indecent leadership. Forget your pride. Shame Taylor, shame.

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More from @David_Ritter

David Ritter Profile picture
11 Aug
Hey @ScottMorrisonMP, I’ve read and reread the transcript of your presser yesterday responding to the #IPCCReport, and there’s a bunch of stuff you’re wrong about. Time to bust the Morrison Myths about climate change. Here’s a thread.
Australia is making an oversized contribution to the global climate crisis in a few ways. First, when land use change is excluded, our emissions per capita are higher than any other nation, so what we do matters. Image
Second, coal, oil and gas are the top drivers of emissions - and when exports and what is burned at home are combined, Australis is fifth worst in the world for responsibility for carbon dioxide from extractive fossil industries: theguardian.com/environment/20…
Read 17 tweets
David Ritter Profile picture
11 Aug
Just 48 hours after the shocking #IPCCReport dropped, some very good climate news in Australia this morning that shows our biggest businesses are taking action. It is a big deal and here is why:
This morning, Tomago Aluminium Smelter, the single largest user of electricity in Australia, announced that it will be powered by ‘mostly renewables’ by 2029. This is huge and signals unstoppable momentum away from coal which is the number one driver of climate change.
Tomago is the biggest customer of @AGLAustralia which is Australia’s single largest domestic climate polluter, responsible for 8% of Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. AGL owns three coal-burning power stations: Bayswater, Liddell and Loy Yang A.
Read 11 tweets
David Ritter Profile picture
9 Aug
In the IPCC report three things stand out as the most important: we know the scale and immediacy of the climate crisis; we know what is causing it & we know how to fix it.
We have agency.
Here’s a thread. #auspol #ClimateAction #IPCC
The number one driver of the climate crisis is the extraction and burning of coal, oil and gas. All decisions our leaders make from today must be informed by this knowledge. The lives of our children depend on this above all.
For decades, emissions cuts have been blocked by the vested interests of the coal, oil and gas corporations. We have to call time on this - on the subsidies, the political protection, the game of mates, the sponsorships - the lot.
Read 10 tweets
David Ritter Profile picture
21 Jul
As @UNESCO decides whether the Great Barrier Reef is world heritage in danger, it’s crucial to understand the history of the failure of Australian politicians to protect the Reef. Weirdly, it all began with a beautiful promise. A thread: #auspol #ForNature
In 1981 the Great Barrier Reef was declared as World Heritage under UNESCO, and Australia promised the world that “to the utmost of its resources” our nation would “do all it can” to protect the Reef: whc.unesco.org/en/conventiont…
It is important to remember that the Fraser Coalition Government chose to nominate the Great Barrier Reef - and the achievement of World Heritage status was something that we were proud of as a nation. Of course we would protect the Reef!
Read 23 tweets
David Ritter Profile picture
2 Jul
Here’s a business case study for our times.
@AGLAustralia is a huge Australian company with a massive problem. AGL is Australia’s worst climate polluter. Investors are recoiling. The share price is tanking. But there is a solution. Here’s a thread: #auspol #ClimateAction
In the mid-2010s, AGL’s CEO Andy Vesey had a plan: AGL would respond to rapidly changing business conditions, by transitioning away from generating electricity from burning dirty coal and would embrace renewable energy.
AGL made a positive start on Vesey’s plan by announcing the closure of the ageing dirty polluting Liddell coal burning power station. But this brought a backlash from the coal lobby and coal-friendly politicians who attacked the move.
Read 20 tweets
David Ritter Profile picture
24 Jun
Hey @ScottMorrison this week your ministers said they were “stunned” & “blindsided” by UNESCO saying that the #GreatBarrierReef should be listed as in danger. Why? Here's a sample of 15 expert warnings in the last 5 years about the mortal threat to the Reef from #climatechange.
In early 2016, the first of recent mass bleaching events occurred in the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists estimated 22% of coral was killed, clearly linked this to climate change and noted the need for urgent action to counter impacts. nature.com/articles/d4158…
Also in 2016, the UN released a major report on climate change with a key chapter focussing on the Great Barrier Reef. (You might remember that the government intervened prior to its release, objecting that the information would harm tourism).
theguardian.com/environment/20…
Read 17 tweets

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