Albanese takes climate warning to New York, but fossil fuel experts test credibility
Opening Climate Week with a stark warning on extreme summer heat, the prime minister faces international scrutiny over Australia’s status as a major energy exporter while spearheading global climate talks.
Ahead of the United Nations general assembly, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that Australians are well aware of the impact of global warming and the urgency of climate action. Speaking at the opening of Climate Week in New York, Albanese highlighted that Australians have been directly affected by disastrous bushfires and floods over the past decades. He stressed that while people faced these challenges, it was now up to politicians to match their bravery and take strong action to combat the problem.
Albanese called for collective efforts to meet the problem head-on, acknowledging that there is no avoiding the scale of responsibility and the cost of inaction. Australia has recognized its crucial role in the global fight against climate change and aims to reduce emissions by 62-70% on 2005 levels by 2035. The government has set an ambitious but achievable target and plans to achieve this through a mix of renewable power backed by gas.
Currently, Australia is a leader in home battery installation, with over half a million batteries installed in the past year alone.
In addition to domestic initiatives, Australia is assisting Pacific countries affected by the climate crisis. Albanese announced a contribution of A$100 million towards the Pacific Resilience Facility and is supporting climate-resilient classrooms in Vanuatu and Fiji through the REnew Pacific Program. This program has directly improved the lives of 300,000 people.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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