CNBC interview with Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek

SUBJECTS: CLIMATE CHANGE; G20 CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTERIAL MEETING; INVASION OF UKRAINE.
  
SILVIA AMARO, HOST: This is a very important day for the G20. The conversations, though, are very difficult and I want to look at that in more detail with my next guest. I have the pleasure to introduce to you, the Australian Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek. Thank you so much for joining us here today. First and foremost, I was inside just moments ago, and I heard some of the comments that the Ministers were making and it felt that the focus, though, is still on explaining why they need to address climate change. My question to you is: why are we not seeing action?
 
TANYA PLIBERSEK, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER: Well, I think it is important to continue to remind people around the world of the huge impact that human-induced climate change is having on our environment, on our economies, on our way of life. It’s important to keep having that conversation. Australia’s really very pleased to be represented here at the G20 Climate and Environment Ministers Meeting to make the point that with the change of government in Australia, the environment is back front and centre of our policies.
 
We haven’t even reached 100 days yet, but we are already legislating a higher ambition on carbon pollution reduction. We’ll change our environmental laws to make sure they are stronger in protecting the environment. We’re soon to establish a new environment protection agency. We’ve already committed to protecting 30 per cent of our land and 30 per cent of our seas by 2030. These are the sort of commitments we need to make to show that we are a good global citizen on climate change and on protecting our environment. At this conference, I’ll also be talking about a voluntary nature market that we want to establish in Australia to support greater investment in biodiversity and nature conservation.
 
AMARO: We’re seeing this change of tone from Australia, which is obviously welcomed by some of the G20 Ministers, but some officials have told me that other nations are trying to be flexible with their climate priorities. They’re coming here and trying to renegotiate certain leeways and some officials have expressed to me some frustration to me about that. Do you share that feeling, that even though you’re arriving here with a new message, other countries are not?
 
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Well, the statements from this conference are being finalised as we speak, and I’m very hopeful that we will have a strong statement coming from this meeting, a strong statement that talks about the importance of action, global action, to reduce the risks associated with human induced climate change and a strong statement on nature itself, protecting and restoring our natural environment. We know that we’ve lost a great deal of biodiversity across the planet in recent years. We’ve got an opportunity by investing in carbon pollution reduction measures also to invest in nature to see that dual benefit. Things like investing in blue carbon, seeing the benefit that restoration of seagrass meadows and mangroves will give not just for climate change, but also for providing habitat for species.
 
AMARO: Minister, what some climate activists would say is that we have seen enough statements. Last year, for instance, there was a statement on the table. The G20 signed it. It said that they would commit to implement meaningful steps. We don’t need more statements. We need the action.
 
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Well, I’m never going to disagree with a call for action, and the new Australian Government in less than 100 days has acted to legislate a higher ambition on climate change, to legislate stronger environmental laws, to drive investment, private sector as well as government investment, into protecting nature. We’re doing this hand in hand and in partnership with our First Nations Australians who have 65,000 years of environmental custodianship that we can learn from and draw on. So, I agree with you that it’s important for every government, as Australia is, to step up.
 
AMARO: To conclude on the Australian point, though, can we expect any movement from your Government in terms of putting an end to investments on oil and gas projects?
 
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Well, Australia has been very clear that we will meet our target of zero net emissions by 2050. That’s why we’ve legislated that zero net emissions target. But we are not planning to end our oil and gas industries. What we will do, what we’ll continue to do, is see greater investment in renewable energy in Australia. By 2030, we expect 82 per cent of our energy to come from renewable sources. We are working with countries in the region right now, working in partnership with Singapore, for example, to build a cable more than 4,000 kilometres long that would link the largest solar farm in the southern hemisphere with Singapore and provide green hydrogen. We’re working with other countries in the region, including Indonesia, on infrastructure and green economy investments that would support the sort of energy transition that Indonesia wants to make domestically. So, we want to be a green energy superpower. We’re prepared to work with countries around the world, but particularly in our region to achieve that.
 
AMARO: Let me ask you about the Russian invasion of Ukraine because that has made the negotiations here more complicated. There has been the message from different colleagues of yours. Do you agree with that statement? Could you elaborate how the invasion is actually making the talks here more complicated?
 
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: I’m not going to give you a behind the scenes on the talks here. The statements are still being finalised so we’ll let that process happen. What I would say about the Russian invasion of Ukraine is that it should be condemned. It’s illegal. It’s immoral and, of course, it has consequences for global meetings like this.
 
AMARO: And, of course, just to finish on that point, how can you negotiate with Russia? Is there trust on the table at these G20 negotiations?
 
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: I think it’s been very clear from many of the countries who have spoken in the last couple of days that the invasion of Ukraine is condemned and that has complicated negotiations, but there is no way that countries could ignore the illegal invasion of Ukraine. It has to be something that is talked about in international meetings like this. There has to be a very clear message to Russia that this behaviour is unacceptable and is condemned by the global community.
 
AMARO: Thank you so much for your time, Minister. Good luck for rest of the day.
 
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Thank you.
 
AMARO: Indeed, on that note, I hand it back to you in the studio, Will. All eyes on that final statement later on today. To really understand how committed the G20 is in reducing the CO2 emissions and whether they can actually come together over this subject.