COP26 refers to the 26^th conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC. It is a 2-week conference where parties discuss climate commitments, plan future strategies and probably, very quietly try to pressure any climate change laggards into lifting their game and honouring or increasing the commitments made in Paris in 2015 at COP21.

Despite all the huffing and puffing from the two coalition leaders last week Australia remains firmly uncommitted in any formal or legislative way to do any more about reducing carbon emissions than they already have.  Morrison rants about Australia being ahead of the targets that were set in Paris, without mentioning the slight-of-hand methods that Australia has used to achieve those targets. Joyce just rants.

Australia has:

• NO NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY.
• NO CREDIBLE CLIMATE POLICY.
• NO REAL NATIONAL ZERO TARGET OTHER THAN THE FANCIFUL ZERO BY 2050, WHICH COULD WELL BE 10+ YEARS TOO LATE.
• NO ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICY.
• NO CHANGE TO THE PATHETIC EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGET  FOR 2030 THAT WAS SET IN 2015. ANY ATTEMPT BY MORRISON TO HAVE A HIGHER EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGET BY 2030 WERE WELL AND TRULY VETOED BY JOYCE (ONE WONDERS WHO IS IN CHARGE!)
• A COALITION GOVERNMENT THAT HAS BLOCKED ADOPTION OF MARKET MECHANISMS AT PAST COP’s IN ORDER TO USE EXPIRED ALLOCATIONS FROM PREVIOUS COMMITMENTS AGAINST 2030 TARGETS. MORRISON & JOYCE REFUSE TO CONSIDER CARBON PRICING, WHICH IS AN ECONOMIC MEASURE DESIGNED TO SHIFT THE BURDEN FOR THE DAMAGE BACK TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
• A LIBERAL PARTY PLAYING POLITICS WITH THE END GOAL OF WINNING THE NEXT ELECTION, DESPITE THE HANDICAP OF THEIR RECALCITRANT COALITION PARTNER WHO SEEM TO BE DOING THEIR BEST TO ALIENATE EVERYBODY EXCEPT THE COAL MINERS.
• A CLIMATE CHANGE DENIER AS MINISTER FOR ENERGY AND EMISSIONS REDUCTION (FARCICAL!).
• THE SAME MINISTER FOR ENERGY AND EMISSIONS REDUCTION, ANGUS TAYLOR, SUPPORTING AND PROMOTING A SALES STAND AT COP26 FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MINING COMPANY SANTOS TO PROMOTE ASPECTS OF CONTINUED FOSSIL FUEL EXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION (SO FARCICAL AS TO BE COMEDIC!)
• A COALITION GOVERNMENT HELL-BENT ON SUPPORTING THE MINING AND ESPECIALLY THE COAL INDUSTRY, USING TAX PAYER FUNDED SUBSIDIES.
• A PRIME MINISTER WHO HAS GONE TO GLASGOW FULL OF RHETORIC BUT NO SUBSTANCE AND CERTAINLY NO POLICIES TO BACK UP THE RHETORIC – MORRISON IS ALWAYS GOOD AT RHETORIC!

Meanwhile, back in Australia, we have the unnerving prospect of Barnaby Joyce as acting PM during COP26 …

Sources: Climate Council