Australia Falling Behind in Carbon Emissions Reduction; Al Gore, EU 'Disappointed'
After Australia's carbon tax repeal has passed the Senate, former U.S. Vice President and climate change activist Al Gore expressed his disappointment and said the country is now falling behind other developed nations in reducing carbon emissions.
Gore has failed to secure the support of Palmer United Party leader and MP Clive Palmer and his senators to retain carbon tax.
According to Fairfax Media, Gore's advisers suggested organising a media conference with Palmer once it became clearer the Australian MP will not budge on his stance to scrap carbon tax.
In a statement, Gore said the carbon price repeal only made Australia lag behind other industrialised nations in the continuing global effort to reduce carbon emissions to combat climate change.
Reports said the media conference with Palmer will push through after the mining tycoon has agreed to support other key areas of Australia's climate change policies that the Abbott government wants to remove.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has indicated he wants to cut the renewable energy target which is currently at 41,000 gigawatt-hours per year. Mr Abbott plans to scrap the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the Climate Change Authority.
Australia's carbon tax repeal has drawn international criticism, including the European Union. Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard expressed her regret for the Parliament's decision just as the rest of the world has made new carbon pricing initiatives.
She said the EU believes carbon pricing is a vital tool to help the world make the economic paradigm shift. In a statement on EU Web site, Hedegaard declared the EU will continue to implement carbon pricing.
A recent study has found that only carbon emissions reductions present the best possible chance to address climate change. The findings of the study by University of Chicago climatologist Raymond Pierrehumbert suggested that unless the world does something to reduce carbon dioxide, nothing "is going to matter much for climate."
According to reports, the effects of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere last longer than any other climate pollutants emitted by humans. The effects can last for thousands of years even if emissions stop.