This week, India revealed plans to construct a sea of solar panels three times the size of Mumbai, indicating that an international deal on global warming may be imminent. However, this new movement from one of the world's largest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions has made clear that the Australian government's efforts to cut the national renewable energy target by 40%, down to 27 terrawatt-hours a year from the current 41TWh, is not in line with the rest of the world.
Despite Australia's natural abundance of potential solar, wind and other renewable energy sources, the Abbott government has seen a dive in international rankings for low-emissions investments. Renewable investment figures are in stark contrast to major trading partners, as Australia fell from 11th to 39th place on a global ranking of large-scale renewable energy investment this past year. Thankfully, the news of India's renewable energy efforts, alongside the senate blocking changes to the Australian RET, lend themselves to the growing need for global alternative energy solutions.
With today's CSIRO/BOM report emphasising the need for ambitious post-2020 climate action, due to consistent rainfall changes, heatwaves and rising sea levels, it seems the only way the Australian clean energy industry can go is up.
CSIRO report: http://www.climateinstitute.org.au/articles/media-releases/report-shows-how-climate-change-is-and-will-be-slugging-australia.html
