3 things to know about the Australian bushfires

By Brandon Showalter, Opinion writer and social commentator Sunday, January 05, 2020

Climate change debate reinvigorated; PM Morrison urges 'patience'

Due to the scope of the problem, Australian politicians are calling for a change in climate policy as Scott Morrison, the nation's prime minister, urges the public not to panic.

Amid criticism that the current government's environmental protections are inadequate, Morrison stated, “Our climate policy settings are to meet and beat the emissions reduction targets, emissions reduction under our government is 50m tonnes more than the previous government and we want to see them continue for this country and continue to better the achievements we have already made, with measures that achieve that.

“Let me be clear to the Australian people, our emissions reductions policies will both protect our environment and seek to reduce the risk and hazard we are seeing today. At the same time, it will seek to make sure the viability of people’s jobs and livelihoods, all around the country."

He added: “I would continue to ask people to be patient.”

“I know you can have kids in the car and there is anxiety and there is stress and the traffic is not moving quickly but the best thing to do – the best thing that helps those out there volunteering, out there trying to restore some order to these situations is for everyone to be patient."

Under the Paris Climate Agreement, Australia committed to reducing its emissions by 26-28% by 2030 from its 2005 levels.

Australian Labor party leader Anthony Albanese believes the nation needs to take greater strides

"Here's the contradiction in the government's position – they say, 'Oh, well, we're just 1.3% of [global] emissions, therefore we don't have a responsibility to act. It won't really make a difference' is what they're saying," Albanese said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"But the truth is that if everyone says that, of course, no one will act — that's the first point. But the second point is we don't have credibility in those international forums."