It might be one of the world’s smallest countries but the Marshall Islands has set an ambitious target to cut its greenhouse gas emissions – and it wants Australia to do the same.
In a submission to the United Nations climate change negotiations, the tiny Pacific Island nation has vowed to cut its emissions by 32% from 2010 levels by 2025.
The Climate Institute says if the Marshalls’ target was replicated by Australia it would translate to a 35% cut to emissions from 2005 levels by 2025.
That is higher than the spread of post-2020 targets the Abbott government is reportedly considering for its UN submission, which is expected to emerge in August ahead of the major conference in Paris late this year, at which it is hoped a new global climate deal will be signed.
The Marshalls, which has a population of just 70,000 people spread across 34 coral atolls and islands, is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and has suffered devastating storm surges and drought in recent years.
Marshall Islands foreign minister Tony de Brum told Fairfax Media damage from climate extremes was already lashing his nation and crippling its ability to otherwise develop.
He said the Marshalls wanted to “practise what we preach”on halting climate change and would seek to reduce methane emissions from waste, cut diesel use and embrace more solar to meet its goals.
De Brum said he hoped Australia would follow suit and take leadership in the international climate change debate. With world-leading emissions on a per person basis, de Brum said Australia was critical to the global effort to halt the problem. “It is important that Australian people understand we are not just playing footsie politics with the leaders of our big neighbour to the south.”