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Energy Minister Chris Bowen joins a staggering 70,000 people flying to Dubai to talk about climate change action, as Sky News presenter Andrew Bolt delivers a scathing review of the latest trip.
Bolt said the fact that Cop28 had 70,000 people flown in, double the number attending the previous 2022 UN climate conference in Egypt, was “an elaborate and stupid joke”.
Bowen will be accompanied by Associate Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Jenny McAllister, as part of a 48-strong Government delegation.
Opposition shadow energy minister Ted O’Brien will lead a separate opposition contingent and deliver a speech to the World Nuclear Association.
The opposition has stepped up calls for nuclear power in Australia, but Bowen has dismissed the idea as a “fantasy wrapped in wishful thinking, accompanied by a chimera”.
Instead, the Albanian government will focus on renewable energy projects such as wind, solar, batteries and hydroelectricity.
Mr Bolt sharply criticized Mr Bowen’s repeated claim that renewables are “the cheapest form of energy”, calling it “absolute nonsense”.
He also cited a quote from AGL CEO Markus Brokhof that contradicts Bowen’s claim, at least in the shorter time frames.
“There is a bit of misunderstanding at the moment when people say renewables will be cheaper and that will lead to cheaper generation costs,” Mr Brokhof said.
‘That is wrong. In the short and medium term this will cause higher costs.’
Bolt mocked Cop28, which he said was a “quasi-religious” gathering to “worship the climate gods” and accused attendees of being part of a climate activist and advocacy “industry.”
‘Bowen says renewable energy is cheaper and will save you money. The guy who does your electricity says well no, it will cost you more.
‘Who tells the truth? “Check your bills throughout the year and you’ll find out who’s ripping you off,” Bolt advised his viewers.
—That’s what happens with this government: they are so enthusiastic about ideaology that the facts don’t seem to matter.
The choice of the United Arab Emirates has proven controversial.
The United Arab Emirates is the world’s eighth largest exporter of fossil fuels, producing more than 4 million barrels of oil per day.
The hydrocarbon sector accounts for a quarter of the small Arab state’s GDP, half of its exports and 80 percent of government revenue.
With fuel prices well below international market rates and subsidies to enable near-continuous air conditioning in many homes, buildings and public spaces, it is also one of the largest emitters of CO2 per capita in the world.
On the eve of the conference, the BBC reported on leaked documents showing that the United Arab Emirates had been using its role as host and presidency of the conference to secure oil and gas deals.
The BBC reported that UAE COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber has continued in his role as CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
Leaked documents provided to the BBC “by a whistleblower” showed that Al Jaber and his COP28 leadership team have been planning to use their access as host and presidency to increase Adnoc’s oil and gas exports.
COP28 discussions will focus on attempts to reach an agreement that delivers on governments’ promises of climate change action. should be expanded to cover emissions from all economic activities, including food and agriculture, for example.
It will also try to hold countries more accountable for the promises they make.
Meanwhile, Bowen has been accused of trying to suppress a report that blows up his government’s CO2 emissions targets and claims.
The Annual Climate Change Statement table tabled in Parliament on Thursday showed Australia’s carbon emissions rose by 3.6 million tonnes in the year to June compared to the previous 12 months and the nation was not in path to meeting reduction targets.
However, Bowen insisted the nation was “within striking distance” of the Albanese government’s goal of reducing emissions by 43 percent by 2030.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen will join a staggering 70,000 people attending the UN Cop28 climate talks starting on Thursday in Dubai.
“With the policies we have announced and are in the process of implementing, Australia’s emissions are projected to be 42 per cent below 2005 levels in 2030, compared to 40 per cent in last year’s projections. “Mr Bowen told parliament.
“The fact is that our goals are ambitious in the sense that they require a lot of effort over the next seven years.”
Despite Mr Bowen’s optimism, the report clearly stated that current trends needed to be dramatically reversed to meet the 2030 targets.
To achieve the 2030 target, Australia will need to decarbonise at an average annual rate of 17 million tonnes of carbon per year, but in the year to June emissions rose rather than fell.
‘Australia emitted 467 million tonnes (Mt) of CO2-e in the year ending June 2023, which is 116 Mt of CO2-e more than the level we need to reach by 2030 if we are to meet the Climate Agreement target. Paris of a reduction of 43% below the level of emissions in 2005,” the report states.
Artists greet those flying in for Cop28 talks in the United Arab Emirates starting on Thursday.
O’Brien accused Bowen of trying to sneak in the damning report by not tabling it early enough to allow for scrutiny and letting other MPs see it “just a couple of hours ago”.
“The Minister did not even have the courage to be honest with the Australian people on this issue,” Mr O’Brien said.
‘He didn’t even mention it in his speech.
“This Minister relies on the dark arts of politics with all the smoke and mirrors… a deflection here,” Mr O’Brien said.
He also stated that investment in clean energy “has fallen to one of the lowest levels since such figures have been recorded.”
“Wind and batteries are below a tenth of the pace needed for Labor to meet its target,” Mr O’Brien said, citing the Clean Energy Council’s report on the September quarter.
Shadow energy minister Ted O’Brien accused Mr Bowen of trying to hide the fact that emissions in Australia are rising.
Conservative firebrand has branded UN COP28 climate talks “dangerous and foolish”
Expo City Dubai will host the Cop28 climate change talks, with the United Arab Emirates a controversial choice as host as one of the world’s largest exporters of fossil fuels.