Every November, the United Nations Climate Change Conference takes place and we are quickly nearing the end of COP30 in Belém in Brazil. For young people like myself, it is a time where we mobilise our energy and passion to fight for climate justice. It’s essentially like Christmas for a climate activist, except every year we get handed coal and get told to go play outside.
The coal feels extra heavy this week as it was announced that Australia was unsuccessful in its bid to host COP31 in partnership with the Pacific next year. Our loss of the bid is unsurprising, but also completely telling of how the current Labor Government is positioning itself in regard to climate and environmental action.
Since September, it has been a slew of bad news, from the release of our new emissions reduction goal of 62-70 per cent by 2035, which is not aligned with keeping us on track to limit global warming to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, to the Liberals scrapping their Net Zero policy just less than two weeks ago. To top it off, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has blatantly admitted to prioritising relationships with Trump over domestic environmental reform.
In the past week, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen has been on the ground at COP30, adamant that Australia would keep fighting to the end to secure the bid. At the same time, back home in Australia where Prime Minister Albanese remained, choosing not to make an appearance at COP30, he stated that Australia would not veto Türkiye’s bid. Albanese’s signalling was clear: securing COP31 was never a priority for him.
It begs the questions – why would or should Australia have won the bid when it clearly doesn’t want to act on climate change?
The sticking point is that COP31 was supposed to be held in partnership with the Pacific. It would mark the first time that the UN conference was ever physically held in the Southern Hemisphere. So whilst Australia has not demonstrated any real reason to host COP31, Pacific Nations do deserve for COP to be held in the region.
Even from the perspective of Pacific Nations physically accessing a COP, this is a big deal. There are currently 1,602 fossil fuel lobbyists attending COP30, larger than every single country delegation. For example, Samoa’s entire delegation at COP30 is 30 people.
It is more than just access though. Pacific countries are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and are amongst the strongest voices for keeping the 1.5°C goal alive. The physical proximity of COP31 to the Pacific would have spotlighted the reality of the climate crisis for these countries, at the same time as placing a spotlight on Australia’s climate inaction, and our responsibility to do better for our Pacific neighbours. The sliver of good news is that the “pre-COP” will be held in the Pacific.
Whilst this news has been disappointing, especially as someone who has spent a good chunk of their year leading a submission to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on youth engagement at COP31, it makes it clear that Australia needs to step up in climate action. Young people deserve a future that is fair, just and healthy.
Australia has a lot to prove, we are running out of time but the young people are here to keep our Government accountable to their actions.