This is my digital diary of Australia at COP29 in Baku. I will be following whats going on at in Baku online. Follow with me. I'll be updating this blog post regularly up to the end of November 2024.
President-Designate for COP 29 is Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources. Azerbaijan is a repressive state with a poor human rights record according to Human Rights Watch in leadup to a meeting in Bonn in June.
Australia will likely be represented at the ministerial level by Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen. See Tracking Australian Ministers and Australian pledges at COP29. Australia is lobbying to hold COP31 in 2026, and an announcement of host is likely in Baku. The city of Belem in Brazil is holding COP30 in 2025.
I'll be including detail from IISD Earth Negotiating Bulletin for each day. I might pluck details from the full report, especially relevant to Australia, and will post the 'In the Corridors" section which provides a concise 'vibe' summary on the negotiations. I might include details from other sources as needed.
Links: UNFCCC COP29 website for documents. Azerbaijan COP29 website. Civil Society COP28 Climate Justice Hub, DCCEEW international climate action page. Australia at COP29. Carbon Brief Negotiating Text Tracker | Fossil of the Day awards leader Board
18 September 2024 - a zombie gas project rears its head off the NSW Coast. Albanese government issues ‘preliminary refusal’ of Pep11 gas project previously vetoed by Scott Morrison (Guardian)
18 September 2024 - The world is spending at least $2.6tn (£2tn) a year on subsidies that drive global heating and destroy nature, according to new analysis by Earth Track. (Guardian) Report: Protecting Nature by Reforming Environmentally Harmful Subsidies: An Update (Earth Track)
Another report by Action Aid - How the Finance Flows: The banks fuelling the climate crisis - says that more than $650bn (£494bn) a year in public subsidies goes to fossil fuel companies, intensive agriculture and other harmful industries in the developing world. Many of the subsidies were owing to “corporate capture” of the government and public institutions, while climate finance to enable transition is lacking. (Guardian | Action Aid Report)
18 September 2024 - Fossil fuel companies sponsor $5.6bn in global ‘sportswashing’ deals, and this is likely an underestimate. (Guardian) Top sports sponsors include Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company ($1.3 billion); British oil major Shell ($469 million); petrochemicals giant Ineos ($776 million); and French oil company TotalEnergies ($327 million), the study by the New Weather Institute found.(Desmog) This includes some $80 million by Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting into Olympic sports since 2012. (SMH) Action: Climate Council developed in 2023 a fossil fuel free sponsorship code, Calling Time: How to Remove Fossil Fuel Sponsorships from Sports, Arts and Events. (Climate Council)
17 September 2024 - The big Labor fail in updating Australia's Nature laws to include climate impacts and beefed compliance. Adam Morton on The environment was meant to be ‘back on the priority list’ under Labor. Instead we’ve seen a familiar story (Guardian) "Every year since the act came into force in 2000, Austalia’s threatened species populations have actually fallen 2-3%. When development, agriculture and infrastructure projects do get assessed under these laws, about 99% are approved. Experts have found the laws permit ongoing destruction of critical habitat for threatened species.... our government is showing worrying signs of letting industry and developers control their environmental agenda." (The Conversation).
14 September 2024 - Environment Minister refers NT Beetaloo Basin fracking for scientific assessment of impact on water resources, but fails to use her powers under the Water Trigger to 'call-in' the projects to halt fracking while the assessment is underway. (Guardian). Request for advice is far too little too late says Lock the Gate.
14 September 2024 - The Hague becomes world’s first city to pass law banning fossil fuel-related ads. Legislation makes it illegal to advertise fossil fuel products and services with a high carbon footprint. (Guardian) Australia should do the same and implement a Fossil Ad Ban.
13 September 2024 - Labor’s new ‘renewable hydrogen’ targets aim for Australia to produce 15m tonnes by 2050, and a stretch goal of 30m tonnes. The plan aims for annual exports of 200,000 tonnes of exports by 2030, with a “stretch” goal of 1.2mt/year. (Guardian | Hydrogen Energy Plan 2024 PDF | Chris Bowen Speech to the APAC Hydrogen Summit, Brisbane) The strategy does not Mention The Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain project converting brown coal to hydrogen, jointly funded by Commonwealth and State Governments along with Japanese energy companies. (See Environment Victoria) For background see also Hope and hydrogen – Australia’s hydrogen export charade. Australia needs to produce 500,000 tonnes just to replace current fossil fuel hydrogen use, before considering new use in road, rail, ship and aviation transport and for export. (Australia Institute)
13 September 2024 - Federal Minister approves Melbourne Airport 3rd runway costing $3 billion to be constructed by 2031, ignoring the greenhouse gas emissions this will induce, estimated at a 55% increase in emissions by Flight Free Australia (Minister statement | Flight Free Australia)
12 September 2024 - Rich nations stay silent on future climate finance says Climate Action Network. Parties to the United Nations climate negotiations ended their final technical meeting ahead of November’s COP29 climate summit in Baku with little progress on an agreed new climate finance goal, known as the NCQG. (CANi)
12 September 2024 - Legal action against fossil fuel companies has tripled since 2015. 86 climate lawsuits have been filed against the world’s largest oil, gas, and coal producing corporations – including BP, Chevron, Eni, ExxonMobil, Shell, and TotalEnergies – with two in five cases involving claims for compensation for climate change damages linked to fossil fuels. (Oil Change International)
11 September 2024 - Climate Council report on how Australia hosting a UN Climate Conference, COP31 in 2026, would bring impetus to decarbonistion and economic benefits. Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide are in the running as city hosts. The decision likely to be made this November at COP29. (Climate Council)
10 September 2024 - Fossil Fuel Subsidies: The Fuel Tax Credits Scheme, also called the Diesel Fuel Rebate, is a subsidy for fossil fuel use valued at $10.2 billion in 2024-25. It works by refunding fuel tax paid by certain fuel users. The Scheme largely benefits coal and iron ore miners. The subsidy is estimated to be worth $4.8 billion to the mining industry, and $1.3 billion to farmers in 2024-25, with $1.4 billion going to the coal industry alone, The Report recommends scrapping fuel tax rebates for mining, not farmers (Australia Institute).
9 September 2024 - Almost 68% of Australia’s tourism sites at major risk if climate crisis continues, report says. At least half of 178 tourism assets around the country – from national parks to city attractions and airports – are facing major climate risks. And as the heat rises, so do the disruptions. Many of the country’s 620,000 tourism jobs will be under threat (Guardian | Zurich media release and report link)
8 September 2024 - Report of Second Meeting of U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s, 4-6 Sep (US State Dept)
- Meeting reaffirmed their intention to jointly host, with the COP 29 Presidency of Azerbaijan, a Methane and Other Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases Summit at COP 29;
- advance efforts to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030, and continue collaborative efforts to enforce their respective laws on banning illegal imports, and promote global forest conservation and sustainable management;
- strengthen dialogue, collaborative efforts, and working with other Parties to support the Azerbaijan Presidency for a successful outcome of COP 29, including on, inter alia, the new collective quantified goal (WRI Explainer: new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG)) and Article 6 (Carbon Markets) under the Paris Agreement (Pollination Explainer: Article 6 developments for COP29)
8 September 2024 - South Australia is aiming for 100% renewable energy by 2027. It’s already internationally ‘remarkable’ for a grid serving 2 million people. Bipartisanship was a key enabler, along with substantial uptake of rooftop solar, providing a lesson for other states and Federal sphere of Australian Politics (Guardian)
7 September 2024 - Global heat: Summer 2024 sweltered to Earth’s hottest on record, making it even more likely that this year will end up as the warmest humanity has measured, says Copernicus (Copernicus | Guardian) Heatwave across US west breaks records for highest temperatures. Hottest summer on record continues, with millions from Phoenix to Los Angeles to Seattle under heat alerts (Guardian) While in the UK Soggy summers and warmer winters are hitting sales as climate crisis blurs seasons (Guardian) Australia: Temperatures surge in south-eastern Australia as windy weather blasts NSW and Victoria (Guardian)
6 September 2024 - Dusky Sea Snake on threatened species list undermines Woodside Energy's Browse gas project around Scott Reef (Guardian) But it seems the Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has already ruled out reassessment of the $29bn gas project based on the threat to the sea snake. (Australian Business Review) It is shocking enough that the climate impacts of a new gas field aren't enough to stop it, reason why we need a Climate Trigger in National Environment Laws.
5 September 2024 - University funding from fossil fuels slowing switch to green energy (Guardian) Study: Fossil fuel industry influence in higher education: A review and a research agenda. One key site of ongoing climate obstructionism identified by researchers, journalists, and advocates is higher education. (Wires)
5 September 2024 - new report on Japanese fossil fuel finance around the world - $93 billion over 10 years. Japan is purchasing Australian LNG and onselling to Asia. Billions Off Course: Japan's Oil and Gas Financing Fueling the Climate Crisis (For Our Climate)
5 September 2024. New report on the gas sector. With proposals to import gas this new report shows the farce and political failure in managing and regulating gas industry. Around 80% of Australia’s gas is exported as liquefied natural gas (LNG). Over half (56%) of gas exported from Australia attracts zero royalty payments, effectively giving a public resource to multinational corporations for free. Across the country, gas and oil extraction employs just 21,200 workers — less than half of one percent (0.15%) of the 14 million people employed in Australia. (Australia Institute)
5 September 2024 - The Australian government may delay the announcement of a 2035 climate target until after the February deadline and beyond the next election, in part due to uncertainty about the ramifications of the US presidential election. Climate Change Authority suggests Australia could meet an “ambitious” target of cutting emissions by at least 65% and up to 75% below 2005 levels by 2035 (See CCA Targets paper, April 2024), but is yet to make its final recommendation. (Guardian)
4 September 2024 - 600 new zero emission battery electric buses by 2035 for Victoria (Premier media release | The Driven) Also of note: Volvo releases 600km range heavy duty battery electric truck (The Driven)
4 September 2024 - Companies that received federal environmental approvals made $54.8 million in political donations in the 24 years to 2022, analysis shows. (Lock The Gate)
- Woodside and Santos donated nearly $3 million each to Labor and the Coalition during the 24 year period.
- Santos projects received eight federal environmental approvals and Woodside projects received nine federal environmental approvals during this time.
- Coal companies including Adani, Whitehaven, and Glencore collectively donated $3.1 million dollars over the 24 year period and received 24 project approvals under the EPBC Act.
- Lobby groups representing the interests of mining companies such as the Minerals Council of Australia and NSW Minerals Council collectively donated more than $1 million to the two major parties.
3 September 2024 - New Report from IPEN: Waste Incineration Drives the Triple Planetary Crisis. Report argues Incineration is an outdated, unsustainable method for waste disposal, as burning waste, especially plastics, produces dangerous air emissions and high amounts of toxic ash. IPEN finds that burning waste, especially plastics, produces unsustainable and unmanageable hazardous air emissions and large amounts of highly toxic solid residues (ash), concluding that alternatives to incineration should be implemented globally. Given the challenges faced by the triple planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change, and toxic pollution, the report finds that waste incineration contributes to all three of these interlinked problems. (IPEN) Note: Victorian state government is planning 5 Waste to Energy incinerators around Melbourne.
3 September 2024 - 20 more species added to Australia’s threatened wildlife and flora list, including a species of Waratah. One ecological community – the King Island scrub complex, was also added.The fresh listings bring the total number of endangered plants, animals and ecosystems to 2,245. This listing comes days after the Albanese Government suggested watering down new EPA legislation. (Guardian)
2 September 2024 - offshore wind zone declared off the coast of Bunbury, Western Australia. After engagement and consultation the Bunbury offshore wind zone has been amended to be at least 30km from shore at its closest point, excludes more than 60% of the recreational fishing areas requested for exclusion including Naturaliste Reef and provides further separation from breeding areas and migratory paths for Southern Right Whales. The final area covers 4,000km2 – reducing the zone by about half. It will create close to 7,000 jobs during construction and around 3,500 ongoing jobs for engineers, electrical technicians, cable installers, boilermakers, crane operators, riggers, seafarers, dockworkers and administrators. (DCCEEW - Chris Bowen media release)
2 September - Albanese Government looking to water down new EPA powers in national environment laws. Still no action to insert Climate Trigger in these laws. (Guardian)
2 September 2024 - Australia sweats through hottest August on record with temperatures 3C above average (Guardian) See also BOM: Australia in August 2024
1 September 2024 - Australian emissions rise by 0.6% in March 2024 Quarter as emissions reduction flatlines for past 3 years (Climate Action Merribek) See also Adam Moreton raising the same issues relating to emissions reduction on 4 Sep: Let’s be honest: Australia’s claim to have cut climate pollution isn’t as good as it seems (Guardian)
30 August 2024 - Australia experiences record breaking winter heatwave; Rapid snow season decline; Global Snapshot of news reveals climate crisis extent (Climate Citizen)
30 August 2024 - Territory Labor MPs accused of breaking promises as Tamboran starts work on new fracking project in Beetaloo Basin (Lock the Gate) Environment Minster Tanya Plibersek has so far failed to call in Tamboran fracking project for assessment under the Water Trigger which became Federal Law in late 2023. See also Greens Media release 3 Sep: Plibersek Fails To Use Water Trigger As NT Fracking Starts (Mirage News)
30 August 2024 - The Tipping Points of Climate Change and Where We Stand in 2024 | Johan Rockström - August TED talk (Climate Citizen) Also Climate tipping points implications for Australia. Australian scientists assessed the regional impact of tipping points in November 2023 and released a new report in February 2024.
29 August 2024 - ‘Immoral and unacceptable’: Tuvalu calls on Australia to set urgent deadline to end fossil fuels (Guardian) Maina Talia, Climate Minister from Tuvalu, said: “Opening, subsidising and exporting fossil fuels is immoral and unacceptable. If this [Pif leaders’ meeting] aims for regional prosperity, we must address climate justice, sea level rise and the root cause of climate change which is the burning of Fossil fuels.”
28 August 2024 - Victorian Legislative Council establishes Inquiry into decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure in Bass Straight (Hansard | Wilderness Society)
28 August 2024 - Woolworths announces decision to source deforestation-free beef from 2025. This follows Aldi commitment. Coles has still to step up of the major Australian supermarkets. Land clearing for beef grazing is a major driver of Australian deforestation (Greenpeace | ACF | ABC News)
27 August 2024 - New climate finance policy document launched in conjunction with Pacific Islands Forum. Seizing the Moment: A new Climate Finance Goal that delivers for the Pacific communicates civil society’s expectations of the Australian and New Zealand Governments when negotiating the new global climate finance goal at the UN Climate Conference in November 2024. (Action Aid) "Australia and New Zealand’s climate finance contributions are falling short of need. Australia’s commitment to provide AUD 3 billion over 2020-2025 is well short of its estimated fair share of the USD 100 billion goal, which is AUD 4 billion per year. Both countries have redirected substantial portions of their climate finance from existing aid budgets, undermining climate and development action across the region."
Report recommends for Australia:
"1. Take immediate steps to achieve its fair share of the USD 100 billion climate finance goal, estimated at AUD 4 billion annually, and commit an initial AUD 100 million in new and additional finance to the the global Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
2. Ensure that all climate funding is delivered in the form of grants not loans and is additional to Australia’s aid obligations."
27 August 2024 - surging sea level rise. Two reports launched by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Tonga, associated with attending Pacific Islands Forum (UN News). The first report is a Technical Briefing by the UN Climate Action Team on Surging seas in a warming world, which summarises the latest science on accelerating sea level rise since the last IPCC 6th assessment report. The other report is by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific 2023. Key messages from the WMO report include: Climate change threatens the future of Pacific islands; Sea level rise accelerates and is above global average; Ocean heating and acidification harm ecosystems and livelihoods; Early warnings are integral part of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. (See Climate Citizen: Surging seas driven by the climate crisis already impacting Island nations says UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres)
26 August 2024 - 40°C in August? A climate expert explains why Australia is ridiculously hot right now (The Conversation) A number of winter heat records have been broken for Australia.
26 August 2024 - Aviation White Paper released. "The government is committed to growing General Aviation into the future" is inconsistent with decarbonisation of the sector by 2050. The Government puts forward the development of a domestic SAF industry and technological advancements in electric and hydrogen-powered flight to meet the target, ignoring any demand management options. This is magical thinking. (see Aviation White Paper—Towards 2050 - Dep of Infrastructure and Transport) Flight Free has a briefing note dispelling some of the hype that low carbon liquid fuels or 'Sustainable Aviations Fuels', will achieve the emissions reduction needed. Also read the FlightFree analysis on Are “sustainable” fuels emissions free?, especially the correspondence with CSIRO in the left column on the Joint CSIRO and Boeing “Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap”.
Much of the media has focussed on (the much needed) new initiatives for Aviation Customer Rights Charter and aviation-specific disability standards, ignoring the huge holes in the aviation decarbonisation plan. Development of SAF will not replace current fuels but will be blended. It will also be 2 to 4 times as expensive, with no plan in place for how aviation will meet these costs other than a proposed by industry voluntary flyer opt-in payment.
26 August 2024 - Methane reporting. The Federal Government has agreed in full or agreed in principle to 24 of the Climate Change Authority’s NGER Scheme recommendations and noted 1 recommendation. This includes appointing Chief Scientist Cathy Foley AO PSM to lead an expert panel as part of broader efforts to ensure the ongoing reporting for methane and other greenhouse gases is accurate and transparent. (Climate Minister Statement | Australia Government response to the 2023 CCA review of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Legislation | Climate Council media statement)
26 August 2024 - There is no gas shortage. Australia exports 35 times more gas than the "shortage" of gas projected in the 2030s (Australia Institute) "Australia exports around 75% of the gas that is mined on our land and in our coastal areas, and another 7% of all of Australia’s gas is used to convert gas to LNG. That adds up to 82% of our gas. For comparison, Australian households use 2.6% per cent of all the gas produced in Australia." See Report: What is the case for more gas? Government modelling of the Future Gas Strategy does not show a need for more gas.
22 August 2024 - Mandatory Climate-related Financial Disclosure for large companies passes in the Senate. The largest companies and financial institutions must provide greater detail on how climate change is affecting strategy and key business decision under amendments to the Corporations Act. This is a major revamp of corporate climate reporting. (Read detail at APH | Media release by Treasurer Jim Chalmers | Renew Economy)
23 August 2024 - $1 Trillion LNG Infrastructure Boom Threatens Climate Goals. (OilPrice) See original Earth Insight report.
21 August 2024 - ANZ, NAB and Westpac banks ponder approving $750 million in finance to Santos for new Fossil Gas projects, while CommBank formally walks away from climate wrecking clients (Market Forces) Take action: email the banks via Market Forces App, ACF Email App this week.
See also video from Protest outside NAB Bank Melbourne headquarters
21 August 2024 - Victorian Climate and Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio launches plan for 95% renewables by 2035, net zero by 2045. (Media Release | Summary plan PDF, Vic Dept of Energy)(RenewEconomy)
21 August 2024 - Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek gives approval for Sun Cable Renewables Project to proceed (Media Release - Tanya Plibersek). The approval includes the 800 kms transmission link to Darwin from the pastoral property near Elliott in the Northern Territory, and will allow for up to 10 gigawatts of solar and battery storage to be built, providing up to 4 GW of 24/7 green power. Approval also includes sub sea cable to the limit of Australian waters, in anticipation of second stage to export low cost wind and solar to Singapore and other nations, of up to 6 GW of green power (RenewEconomy)
20 August - New report: Koalas or coal mines, how the federal government can save Australia’s most iconic species’ - national report launched by alliance of climate and nature conservation groups focussed on mining threat to endangered Koala habitat (Mackay Conservation Group PDF)
20 August - New report on complicity of oil suppliers in fueling Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people. Oil Change briefing, Behind the Barrel: New Insights into the Countries and Companies Behind Israel's Fuel Supply. The ongoing complicity of oil suppliers in fueling Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people is despite recent rulings from the International Court of Justice. With over 65 tankers delivering crude oil and refined products since October, action is needed now more than ever. (Oil Change)
19 August 2024 - BNEF Australia report: “Australia’s window to stay on a well-below-2C pathway is closing, fast,” Leonard Quong, head of BNEF Australia said on a new BNEF report. “Rapidly moving to a clean power system based on wind, solar and storage will be essential to cost-effectively reduce carbon emissions in line with our existing decarbonization targets.” Report says Australia needs to scale up its emission reductions targets from 43% by 2030 suggesting 71% reduction from 2005 levels by 2035, and it makes clear that the investment and spending also needs to treble, from a record $18 billion in 2023 to around $55 billion a year now and to $83 billion in the 2030s. (RenewEconomy)
18 August 2024 - Amazon rainforest ‘Nobody ever saw anything like this before’: how methane emissions are pushing the Amazon towards environmental catastrophe (Guardian)
18 August 2024 - Feature article on the win-win of grazing sheep with solar farms in Australia. Agrivoltaics. (The Age)
17 August 2024 - Background article on why and how the petrostate of Azerbaijan came to host COP29. Australia is seeking to host COP31 in 2026. (The Age)
16 August 2024 - Heat inequality ‘causing thousands of unreported deaths in poor countries’ (Guardian)
16 August - China adds new clean power from Solar and Wind at a record pace. Emissions are likely to have peaked this year. Electricity generation from coal and gas dropped by 5% in China in July, year on year. In 2023 China installed a record 293GW of wind and solar generating capacity. Last month, solar and wind capacity outstripped China’s coal-fired electricity capacity. By 2026, solar power alone will surpass coal as China’s primary energy source, with a capacity of more than 1.38TW (Guardian)
14 August - New Australian Medical report: Fossil Fuels are a Health Hazard. Sign the petition (Doctors for the Environment: Report | Press Release)
12 August 2024 - Australian fossil fuel exports ranked second only to Russia for climate damage with ‘no plan’ for reduction. Coal and gas exports expected to remain roughly at current level until at least 2035 with 4.5% of emissions linked to Australia, report finds (Guardian)
12 August 2024 - New report on Cruise ship emissions. Cruise ships are getting larger and more numerous. This is a problem for the environment. (Transport and Environment) See Blog Post - Cruise ships are getting larger and emissions are growing says new report
- At the current rate of growth, the biggest cruise ships in 2050 could become almost eight times bigger than the Titanic and carry nearly 11,000 passengers
- Twentyfold increase in the number of cruise ships from only 21 in 1970 to 515 today
- Cruise ship CO2 emissions were already nearly 20% higher in 2022 than in 2019 before the pandemic
- Cruise ships are currently exempt from fuel duties as well as most corporate and consumer taxes. A €50 tax on a typical cruise journey ticket would bring in €1.6 billion globally, €410 million of which would be raised in Europe.
7 August 2024 - $41 billion of new fossil fuel projects are gobbling up construction supply chain. Taxpayer money is helping fund private infrastructure that makes it harder to build public transport and housing, in the middle of a housing crisis, and when we need to build more public and active transport infrastructure to reduce transport emissions. In the NT alone, the Commonwealth Government is spending $100 million on roads explicitly for the onshore gas industry. (Australia Institute)
7 August 2024 - More species added to Australia's endangered list. Australia’s government now recognises 2,224 species as being under threat of extinction. (Australian Conservation Foundaton)
6 August 2024. An overwhelming proportion of Australia's gas is literally given away for companies profit. New Australia Institute report highlights:
"Australia has ten facilities that export gas as liquified natural gas (LNG). Six of these projects—both of the Northern Territory’s facilities and four of the five operating in Western Australia—pay no royalties, either state or federal. These facilities represent 56% of Australia’s gas export capacity. This means that all the gas exported from the NT, and more than half the gas exported from Australia, is given for free to the companies exporting it."
"The monetary value of this gas is enormous. The total value of LNG exports over the last four years is estimated at $265 billion Australia-wide, $37 billion of which was exported from the NT. All of the NT’s LNG exports were royalty-free and Australia’s royalty-free exports totalled $149 billion. To put this another way: in the last four years alone, Australians have given away the gas that made $149 billion worth of LNG, for free."
24 July 2024 - Resources Minister Madeleine King approves new offshore oil and gas exploration and 10 exploration permits for carbon dumping (Climate Action Merribek)
24 July - COP 29 Incoming Presidency Paints Its Vision for 2024 UN Climate Conference. Climate Finance will be a key item at COP29, and achieving landmark climate finance goals can unlock ambition. The letter from the Incoming Presidency outlines two mutually reinforcing pillars (IISD):
- Enhancing ambition, by setting out clear plans to keep the 1.5ºC temperature goal within reach while leaving no one behind through ambitious, comprehensive, and robust nationally determined contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) and through “wider engagement in international cooperation”; and
- Enabling action through the means of implementation and support, including by agreeing a fair and ambitious NCQG on climate finance and finalizing the operationalisation of Article 6 (cooperative implementation).
22-23 July 2024, 8th Ministerial on Climate Action (MOCA) in Wuhan, China. About 40 countries invited to attend. Australia represented by Climate Minister Chris Bowen. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell outlined 5 priorities for this meeting and COP29 in his speech:
- First, we must redouble our commitment to a new global climate finance goal this year.
- Second, new sources of funding are equally vital. It's essential that governments finally reach an agreement on Article 6. There is no more time for pushing this issue into the following year.
- Third, we need all nations to come forward with bold new national climate plans, as early as possible, that are 1.5 aligned, covering the whole economy, and all green house gases – they are due February 10th next year.
- Fourth, as I saw in Carriacou, climate adaptation is utterly essential right now. Only 58 countries have submitted National Adaptation Plans so far. This isn’t enough. Every country needs to have an adaptation plan by 2025 and make progress on implementing them by 2030.
- And fifth, it’s crucial that every country submits a Biennial Transparency Report.
22 July 2024 - Luxury Car Tax and the Ute Loophole identified costing $250 million in 2023, Outlamdish in comparison to the $100 million over 4 years allocated to an Active Transport Fund (Australia Institute)
16 July 2024 - Australia's green hydrogen plans questioned. "Current industrial hydrogen use in Australia is 500,000 tonnes per year. The Commonwealth Government is budgeting for green hydrogen production of around 500,000 tonnes per year into the 2040s. Given the first users of green hydrogen will be existing industrial users of fossil hydrogen, this leaves no hydrogen for export from Australia." (or for use in road freight, rail, maritime, aviation) (Australia Institute)
21 June 2024 - Nuclear power for Australia polling results show that most Australians are not prepared to pay anything extra to have nuclear power in the energy mix. (Australia Institute)
June 2024 - Flight Free Australia Briefing note on Sustainable Aviation Fuels, questioning whether it is good climate policy given the costs, risks and issues in scaling up SAF production (Flight Free Australia | PDF)
Previous UN Climate Change Reports
I have attended four previous COPs (2015-2019) in person. Prior to 2015 I was regularly following international negotiations haphazardly from 2004. For COP26 Glasgow in 2021, COP27 Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt in 2022, COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates I kept a Digital diary of Australia at the climate conference.
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