International development agencies working on the climate change front line will be closely monitoring outcomes from this week’s U.N. Climate Summit in New York, where more than 120 world leaders will be gathering. But although Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will be in the city for the U.N. Security Council meeting, he will not be at the climate summit, which will be attended by foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop instead.
For climate advocates in Australia and internationally, this is just another backward step for the Abbott government.
Australia used to be among the staunchest advocates of climate finance, and had apportioned about a tenth of aid spending on climate change and environment programs. But over the past year, the administration has announced its withdrawal of support for the Green Climate Fund and rejected U.N. calls to strengthen climate targets — moves that have received widespread criticism at international forums.
Read more on Australian aid
▪ Australian aid's pivot to the Indo-Pacific
▪ Aid cuts make Australia 'a less generous nation'
▪ Under new management, Australia’s aid program set for more modest course
▪ The future of Australian aid: 5 issues where the election matters
▪ Breaking down the winners and losers in the 2013-14 Australian aid budget
About the author
Lisa Cornish@lisa_cornish
Lisa Cornish is a freelance data journalist based in Canberra, Australia. Lisa formerly worked with News Corp Australia as a data journalist for the national network and was published throughout Australia in major metropolitan and regional newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph in Melbourne, Herald Sun in Melbourne, Courier-Mail in Brisbane and online through news.com.au. Lisa has recently been awarded the 2014 Journalist of the Year by the New South Wales Institute of Surveyors.
