The Climate Institute CEO John Connor said Lima set expectations to reference international agreed warming goals and detail how any target is 'fair and ambitious' in that context. And the process “should take a view of the national interest that extends beyond the views of a narrow set of highly polluting industries”

“All countries should have done more in Lima, but they have done enough to put a focus on the government’s resolve to consider dangerous climate risks seriously and test if it can look beyond a future where our nation remains dependent on outdated polluting technologies."

Australia – along with over 190 countries – recognises the need to limit warming to less than 2C above pre-industrial levels (1880s).

The Climate Institute’s analysis of Australia’s fair contribution suggests this would require Australia to reduce emissions by 40% on 2000 levels by 2025. The Climate Change Authority’s past analysis suggests 30-40% emissions reductions over the same time frame.

Using a 2005 baseline, as the government has been recently doing, would see 35-45% emissions reductions from this year by 2025.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AUSTRALIA

SBA and its global partner, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, launched the Road to Paris Initiative to bring together groups including Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDNS), with the International Energy Agency and Wold Economic Forum as supporting partners.

It will identify technology and market barriers, and policy and finance needs, for six technologies – renewables, CCS, biofuels, buildings, mobility and forests – and catalyse private public partnerships for critical RD&D areas that are needed for deep decarbonisation.

SBA also released a statement that among other things said: “We agree with Prime Minister Abbott’s statements after his recent meeting with French President Francois Hollande that it is ‘vital’ that the Paris climate change conference succeeds. What needs to be challenged is his statement that, ‘For it to be a success, we can’t pursue environmental improvements at the expense of economic progress. We can’t reduce emissions in ways which cost jobs’.”

“While we agree with the need for economic rationale in our deliberations, our frame of mind must be about finding success to this challenge, not finding excuses… The frame of mind is Australia needs to stop turning its back on climate change, and instead turn to face the pathway to action and solutions.

“The silent majority of business, as Unilever CEO Paul Polman said yesterday, that are present at this COP and represented by the likes of the WBCSD, ICC and SBA, are ready for a universal, ambitious and balanced climate agreement to come out of Paris.”