Australia needs to lift game on climate action

Australia needs to increase its national emission target from five to 15 per cent to meet its fair share of global action on climate change, according to new research from The Australian National University. The study, conducted by Dr Frank Jotzo, Director of the ANU Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, found that despite the absence of an international climate treaty, many countries were taking strong action to meet the challenge of climate change. Dr Jotzo said that climate pledges made by developing countries will mean substantial reductions in carbon emissions growth. 'For example China is set to contribute a greater total amount of emission cuts relative to a 2020 baseline than the developed world as a whole,' said Dr Jotzo. ?Its commitment to cut carbon intensity of GDP is on par with US and EU targets, and exceeds what Australia would achieve under its five per cent target. 'Other developing countries are equally ambitious. For example reductions pledged by Indonesia are likely to be larger than Australia's commitment.