In a joint communique released after the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue meetings wrapped up on Saturday,Australia and its partners - the US,India and Japan - said they “intend to update or communicate ambitious NDCs by COP26 .”Nationally determined contributions are a country’s pledge through the United Nations on how fast and by much they will reduce emissions.
Mr McCormack said Australia should go to the Glasgow summit with a position locked in on net zero emissions to prove it was “a serious player and deserved to be around the table”.
But he said the target must not hurt regional Australia – a similar position to that voiced by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce on Friday.
“If we can find a pathway to ensuring that we have net zero by 2050,which is not going to affect jobs in regional Australia,which is not going to push power prices through the roof,then I think that would be a really good position to take to Glasgow,” Mr McCormack said on Saturday.
“We need to be able to go to that forum in a position of strength. We need to be able to say we’re playing our part.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said Australia will reach net zero as soon as possible,“preferably” by 2050,but he needs agreement from the Nationals to lodge a binding commitment to upgrade Australia’s climate commitment at the COP26 climate summit in November.
Mr Morrison said Australia is on track to “meet and beat” its 2030 Paris target,and the government would release updated projections before the Glasgow summit,which are expected to forecast that Australia’s emissions will fall below its 26 per cent target. But it remains to be seen if the government goes a step further and makes a binding commitment.