Aust's low global rank for climate action
AUSTRALIA RANKS 55 OUT OF 60 RANKING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION
Australia continues to receive very low ratings across all four categories, with only Saudi Arabia, the US, Iran, Taiwan and South Korea scoring lower.
* GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
Australia achieved diverse scores under GHG emissions, beginning with zero out of 100 for current per capita levels, to 37.4 for trending per capita levels.
It's better news when per capita levels are compared to the benchmark needed to keep global warming well below two degrees, with a 49.8 out of 100 score, and 89.8 for Australia's emissions target for 2030.
* RENEWABLE ENERGY
Australia scored just 12.9 out of 100 for current levels of renewable energy in the mix including hydro. Trend levels for renewables, excluding hydro, boosts the score to 29.8.
The nation ranks on the tail end of the global list for the amount of renewables in the mix compared to levels needed to keep warming well below two degrees - 15.7 out of 100. This drops to 13.3 for Australia's 2030 renewable energy target.
Scorecard comment: The country ranks at the bottom of low performers in the renewable energy category with national experts criticising the government for not putting forward any plans for renewable energy beyond 2020.
* ENERGY USE
Current energy use per capita gives Australia a score of 20.3 out of 100, increasing to 50.3 for current trend levels.
The score increases for per capita energy levels compared to the two degree benchmark (44), but decreases (37.9) for the 2030 energy use target.
* CLIMATE POLICY
Australia's national climate policy earnt a meagre four out of 100.
Scorecard comment: Experts argue that national climate policy has continued to worsen - the government has no comprehensive emission reduction policy, no regulation of transport emissions and no plans to phase out coal.
The score for international climate policy is also low - 19.4 out of 100.
Scorecard comment: Experts observe that the government has become an increasingly regressive force in international negotiations, attempting to weaken climate finance obligations and dismissing the IPCC 1.5 degree Celsius report.
Total score: 31.27 out of 100
Sweden (76.28), Morocco (70.48) and Lithuania (70.47) lead the global charge.
(Source: Climate Change Performance Index 2019 https://www.climate-change-performance-index.org/)
