The Copenhagen climate change summit has been branded a failure after world leaders were unable to agree on targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; but no one should be surprised at the outcome, climate change expert and government adviser Ross Garnaut said.
In the final hours of the two-week summit, world leaders put forward a deal aimed at limiting global warming to 2C. But it contained no targets to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for climate change.
“It’s been clear that there wasn’t going to be a binding agreement at Copenhagen,” Garnaut told ABC Television.
“Expectations were overblown, so it’s not the slightest bit surprising; it’s not appropriate to be greatly disappointed.”
Garnaut added that Australia’s position could have been strengthened had the emissions trading scheme passed through Parliament.
The Government will begin work on a third attempt to pass its emissions trading scheme through Parliament when it resumes early next year.
