Media coverage

The world’s climate pledges so far are only enough to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions to less than 1% below 2010 levels by 2030, according to the UNFCCC. Instead of limiting the world to only 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming since pre-industrial times — the more stringent of two Paris accord goals — the data shows that world “is headed to close to 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and a global catastrophe if this is not curtailed quickly,” said Bill Hare, director of Climate Analytics.

Many large countries, including the US, the EU, and Australia's key coal and gas markets China, Japan, South Korea, are looking at deeper emission reductions. But Australia appears to be going backwards. Now another issue has arisen from its inaction: border taxes - Climate Analytics CEO Bill Hare commentary in The Guardian.

The announcement this week by energy minister Angus Taylor that he’s putting together a major package to prop up oil refineries to preserve dirty fuel supplies to one of the dirtiest car fleets on the planet simply beggars belief. It doesn’t have to be like this. Commentary by Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics.

A new study lead by Climate Analytics researchers, published in Nature Communications, shows that empowering women through improved healthcare, education, and representation in government could help societies adapt more quickly and easily to the impacts of a changing climate.

A new analysis, seen by the BBC, suggests the goals of the UN Paris climate agreement are getting "within reach." The Climate Action Tracker group looked at new climate promises from China and other nations, along with the carbon plans of US President-elect Joe Biden. These commitments would mean the rise in world temperatures could be held to 2.1C by the end of this century. Previous estimates indicated up to 3C of heating, with disastrous impacts.

Pledges to cut emissions made by Joe Biden, the US president-elect, and China have helped put the world “within striking distance” of meeting the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement on climate change, a report says. If governments fulfil all their promises to become carbon neutral within 30 or 40 years, the global temperature increase could be limited to 2.1C above pre-industrial levels by 2100, according to the assessment by two not-for-profit research groups.

The G20 will miss the 1.5°C warming target set out in the Paris Agreement, according to the Climate Transparency report published on Wednesday (18 November). “The implementation of current targets will lead to a 2.7°C temperature rise by the end of the century. There is a substantial gap. The question is how do we close that gap and how do we move towards 1.5°C,” said Deborah Ramalope, team leader for policy analysis at Climate Analytics.

Australia's climate policies have been put under the spotlight ahead of a G20 virtual summit, with the nation urged to boost its plan to address environmental impacts. "The Australian government has few policies to address these issues, and its international reputation is at stake" - Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics.

Australia is one of only two countries in the G20 not implementing or planning any sort of carbon price scheme, one of only four without a national policy to increase renewable energy and ranks last in cutting greenhouse gas emissions from transport, a new global report has found. “When measured up against other G20 nations, the Australian government’s record is simply embarrassing” - Ursula Fuentes-Hutfilter, a senior policy adviser with Climate Analytics, which contributed to the report.

President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to begin the process of rejoining the Paris agreement with the stroke of a pen. As important as this will be, a more significant demonstration of Biden’s determination to rejoin the international fight against climate change will come in the form of the target the United States then puts on the table as its contribution toward meeting the goals of the agreement - op-ed by Australia's former PM Kevin Rudd and CEO of Climate Analytics Bill Hare.