b'Canberra observed Canberra observedDavid Denham AM Associate Editor for Government denham1@iinet.net.auCOP 26 in Glasgow reveals the Leaders and the LaggardsThe 2021 United Nations Climate ChangeFigure 1.Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from 1960-2021 (https://www.climate.gov/news-features/Conference, more commonly referred tounderstanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide).as COP26, had some bad press, but it did force the Australian Government (albeit kicking and screaming) to develop athe 1.5oC has so far been woeful.Long-Term Emissions Reduction Plan Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan toA consortium of German researchis to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 achieve net zero emissions by 2050. institutions (https://ccpi.org/wp-content/ in a practical, responsible way that uploads/CCPI-2022-Results_2021-11-07_ will take advantage of new economic The global challenge is immense A4-1.pdf) produced a Climate Changeopportunities while continuing to serve Performance Index 2022Rating Table,our traditional markets.With the rebound of global emissions fromespecially for COP26. These tables have pre-COVID-19 levels to record levels inbeen published annually since 2005. The Plan focuses on the technology road 2021, the challenge to control the Earthsmap, which is the cornerstone of the plan, climate just gets harder. Figure1 showsThe Climate Change Performanceand prioritises technologies that will help that COVID had little or no effect on theIndex is an independent monitoringAustralia cut emissions while creating jobs addition rate of CO 2to the atmosphere. tool for tracking the climate protectionand growing our economy.In fact, the jump of 2.6 ppm over 2019performance of 60 countries and theThe Plan outlines how we will:levels was the fifth-highest annualEU. This group of countries represents increase in NOAAs 63-year record. Since92% of global emissions. There are fourdrive down the cost of low emissions 2000, the global atmospheric carboncategories estimated, and an overalltechnologiesdioxide amount has grown by 43.5 ppm,assessment. These reveal the Leaders anddeploy these technologies at scalean increase of 12% the Laggards, as shown in Table 1, alonghelp our regional industries and with Australias position. communities seize economic opportunities (see https://www.iea.org/reports/global- in new and traditional marketsenergy-review-2021). I am not surprised we came last onwork with other countries on the Climate Policy. The document tabled attechnologies needed to decarbonise the And this is without any mention ofCOP26 is vague and states that the: worlds economy.methane from the cattle herds and the melting of perma-frost.Table 1.Leaders and Laggards in the Climate Change Performance Index 2022. The projected numbers for fossil fuelSource: https://ccpi.org/wp-content/uploads/CCPI-2022-Results_2021-11-07_A4-1.contributions in 2021 are; coal 14.7 Gtpdfof CO 2 , oil 11.5, gas, 7.7 and cement 1.7. The oil contribution fell slightly becauseCategory Leaders Laggards Australia of the reduction in air-travel, but coal demand, mainly from China, and theGHG* Emissions UK Iran 56th out of 64demand for gas continues to increase. Renewable energy Norway Iran 52nd out of 63Energy use Ukraine Canada 54th out of 64Australia could and should do better Climate policy Luxembourg Australia 64th out of 64Australias contribution to keepingOverall Assessment Denmark Kazakhstan 58th out of 64the global temperature increase to* Green House Gas27 PREVIEW DECEMBER 2021'