Climate Change Minister Greg Combet says the outcome of international climate talks in Durban proves the Federal Government did the right thing in introducing a carbon tax.
After more than two weeks of intense talks, some 190 countries agreed to four main elements - a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, the design of a Green Climate Fund and a mandate to get all countries in 2015 to sign a deal that would force them to cut emissions no later than 2020, as well as a work plan for next year.
It is the first time all 190 UN member countries, including the United States and China, have agreed to negotiate such a deal.
Mr Combet says it is a “historic breakthrough”, which will see a legally-binding agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions implemented by 2020.
He says there is no doubt the Government has done the right thing in putting a price on carbon.
“It’s very important we tackle climate change. We’ve got a responsibility to play our part internationally and here is the evidence,” he said.
“Every other country around the world will be negotiating an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“This is an emphatic statement that this problem is to be dealt with internationally and Tony Abbott is completely isolated.”
Mr Combet says negotiations among the countries will start straight away.
“Every single one of them has agreed to a set of measures to tackle climate change but the most important breakthrough is a commitment to negotiate a legally binding agreement involving every country to cut greenhouse gas emissions and the agreement would take effect from 2020,” he said.
The Government has not yet committed to backing an extension of the Kyoto Protocol ahead of the new global deal being struck.
‘Complete deception’
Meanwhile, the Opposition says the outcome of the talks is deeply disappointing for Australia.
Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the Federal Government’s carbon tax is based on an assumption of international agreement by 2016 - but that has now failed to materialise.
Mr Hunt says the international community has yet again delayed action.
“Now the international environment on which the carbon tax is based is a complete deception,” he said.
“There was going to be a treaty in 2012, then it became 2015, and as of today, a possible treaty has been put back to at least 2020.”
The Greens have also criticised the Government for failing to do more in Durban.
Greens climate change spokeswoman Christine Milne says the Australian delegation drove loopholes into agreements and weakened targets during the talks.
Ms Milne says Australia has lost any credibility it had gained from introducing a carbon price.
“Australia could have done a lot more and played a lot more and played a much more constructive role,” she said.
“First of all, we had increased credibility in the talks because Australia had just passed a clean energy package.
“The whole world was incredibly excited about that. People came up to me all over that place saying how encouraging it was that Australia was now back in the fold on climate action.”
