More than 40 countries have signed the United Nations’ Global Coal to Clean Power Transition statement at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, committing to accelerate their transition away from coal power generation. But Australia is not one of them.

Angus Taylor, Federal Minister for Industry, Energy, and Emissions Reduction, said the Coalition would not “wipe out industries” – and coal is a major industry; Australia is the fifth largest producer and second largest exporter of coal, and has the third largest reserves of coal in the world, according to Geoscience Australia.

Instead, Mr Taylor said, the government would invest in low-emissions technologies. His mission at Glasgow, he had said before going, was to promote Australia as “a safe and reliable destination for investment in gas, hydrogen and new energy technologies”, and present what the Federal Government claims is a “strong track record in reducing emissions”.

By promoting Australia as a reliable destination for investment in “fossil fuels”, said ACT Attorney-General and Greens leader Shane Rattenbury, Mr Taylor had made “a mockery of climate action and the COP26 summit”.

The Federal Government’s unwillingness to sign has not stopped the ACT Government; today, it became the first Australian jurisdiction to sign the statement.

By doing so, the ACT committed to deploying more clean power generation and energy efficiency measures; adopting technologies and policies this decade to help the world move away from coal power in the 2040s; stopping all coal-fired power generation projects and permits, and ending government support for coal power; and helping affected workers, sectors, and communities move away from coal.

“The ACT Government recognises that climate change poses a real and immediate threat to our city, our country, and the world,” said Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who is also ACT Minister for Climate Action. “That is why we are committed to taking real action on climate change.”

Mr Barr said the ACT would phase out fossil-fuel-gas, support energy grid stability, support all households to reduce their footprint, and reform the ACT’s building and planning systems to environmentally sustainable and climate-ready buildings.

As ACT Energy Minister, Mr Rattenbury said he would adamantly oppose any fossil fuel subsidies or plans to extend the life of polluting coal and gas-fired power stations.

“While our work demonstrates significant progress to reduce emissions, we know we cannot manage the impacts of climate change alone,” Mr Barr said. “Only with national commitment, strong collaboration, and participation across government, industry, research institutes, and the community, will we see the capacity to reduce emissions align with global climate goals.”

The ACT Government notified the Department of Foreign Affairs of this commitment in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Foreign Arrangements Scheme.

“If Australia is to be serious with climate action, we need [the Federal Government] to sign and honour this statement,” Mr Rattenbury said.

“All the evidence tells us that we have only a limited window to solve the climate crisis. We must leave coal and gas in the ground, and power our economies with zero-emissions renewable energy. Keeping global warming to below 1.5 degrees means moving beyond the polluting fossil fuel era, and shifting to a zero emissions future.”

The statement was developed by the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), of which the ACT Government is a member. The UK Government led the statement as the COP Presidency and a PPCA chair.

Federal Green candidates

Federal Greens candidates Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng and Tim Hollo welcomed the ACT Government’s decision, and said it demonstrated the need for Greens in Federal parliament.

“While the Morrison Government used the summit as an opportunity to spruik investment in Australia’s fossil fuel industry, the ACT Government has reduced emissions by 40 per cent since 1990, and is committed to taking every further action,” Dr Goreng Goreng said.

They attributed the ACT Government’s pledge to its alliance with the Greens; the ACT was the only jurisdiction with Greens in government. (The ACT also has no gas or coal mining industry.) Electing more Greens to parliament, in partnership with Labor, would secure real climate action, they argued.

“The only credible climate policy is one that ends the mining and burning of coal and gas, replacing it with renewable energy, in the next 10 years,” Dr Goreng Goreng said. “Only the Greens will do this.

“Glasgow has made it clear that delay is the new denial. Any climate policy that expands the use of fossil fuels or fails to set serious 2030 targets is a farce.”

“It’s fantastic to see that Mr Barr, who last election called phasing out gas ‘a crazy Greens proposal’, is now on board with this crucial step for the climate,” Mr Hollo said.

“The contrast between ACT Labor and their federal counterparts couldn’t be more clear. Labor has refused to set meaningful 2030 commitments, while Anthony Albanese is on record saying coal and gas have a long future.

“What’s really disappointing is that Labor has also been pushed by their fossil fuel donors to support expansion, including the use of public subsidies, new coal and gas projects, including fracking in the NT, dozens of new coal mines including Adani, and new gas-fired power stations.”

Many Labor MPs, he said, wanted Australia to replace fossil fuels with renewables, but were prevented by factions, fossil fuel donors, and their party elite.

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