Fund is seen as critical to the success of December’s climate summit in Paris, which aims to reach an agreement on global emissions reductions after 2020

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Foreign minister Julie Bishop has launched a bid to co-chair the Green Climate Fund once dubbed by Tony Abbott as the “Bob Brown bank”.

Countries pledge $9.3bn for Green Climate Fund Read more

Abbott had resisted making a contribution until Bishop announced at the Lima Climate Summit last year Australia would provide funding of $200m over four years in a total pool of $10bn.



Australia is represented on the fund’s board by a senior representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs. It is seen as critical to the success of this December’s climate summit in Paris which aims to reach an agreement on global emissions reductions after 2020.



The fund is designed to help developing countries to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change and thereby gain trust and win support for a new agreement from developing countries.



Greens senator Larissa Waters denounced the government’s move as hypocritical, given its “inadequate” contribution to the fund, “pitiful” climate pollution reduction targets and approvals of new coal mines.



“They’ve got to be kidding,” she said. “Australia has no credibility in overseeing the Green Climate Fund when this government is simultaneously trying to open the southern hemisphere’s largest coal mine in Queensland.



“We are the largest per capita emitter of carbon pollution of any developed country and the Turnbull government’s measly reduction targets will keep it that way.”



But Frank Jotzo, associate professor at the Australian National University’s Crawford School, said while Australia’s financial contribution could be larger, the move signalled a much more positive approach to the Paris negotiations by the Coalition.



“A case could be made that Australia’s financial contribution could be larger but irrespective of that, Australia can make a positive contribution as co-chair and has a good track record in facilitating multilateral forums, including on climate change policy,” Jotzo said.

He said Australia had a good reputation on such forums because governments traditionally had talented people in policy areas and provided them with “resources and time to do the things well”.

Jotzo said it also would ensure Australia would support the Paris negotiations in a positive manner.

“Other countries expect that Australia will take a much more positive approach in negotiations following the change in the prime minister and there is every reason to expect that will happen,” said Jotzo.

“The fact that Australia is putting in a bid to co-chair is itself a strong sign of positive engagement and as a co-chair, any country has a strong obligation to support the process in a positive manner. That is what other countries will be expecting.”