ABC financial journalist Alan Kohler has warned of the consequences climate change will have for Australia if Donald Trump is re-elected as president.
Kohler said in an op-ed that Trump’s disregard for climate change, including how he referred to it as a “hoax,” will mean “the world will not reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
Trump plans to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, where world leaders pledge to work to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5°C, if elected again.
“Unless Biden resigns, Australia and the world should prepare for a second Trump presidency, which means preparing for global warming far greater than the Paris target of 1.5 degrees Celsius – at least 2 degrees, probably more,” Kohler wrote for The new daily.
The finance expert said that while it was “virtually impossible” to achieve net zero by 2050, the world should stick to it as a target.
Mr Kohler said the actions of some of the most populous countries, such as the United States, China, India and Europe, were important when it came to the future of the environment.
He said the four had “collectively increased, not reduced” fossil fuels.
“If Trump wins in November and Europe swings to the right, it’s more than likely that the whole thing (reducing fossil fuel use) will simply be abandoned,” he said.
ABC financial journalist Alan Kohler has warned of the consequences for Australia of climate change if Donald Trump is elected president.
Mr Kohler said Australia needed to focus on building a green steel and hydrogen manufacturing industry that would reduce carbon emissions.
“Unless the world’s scientists are wrong, at some point political and business leaders will hit the panic button and desperately search for ways to cut fossil fuels to save themselves,” he said.
Mr Kohler added that as Australia is the country that receives “the most sunlight”, it needs to “prepare to supply it”.
His comments come after Biden’s widely criticized performance in last week’s 90-minute debate.
During the debate, the US president frequently lost his train of thought, digressed mid-sentence and confused the issues, prompting calls from politicians and pundits on both sides for the 81-year-old to resign.
Biden has no public plans to step down or resign from office yet, as he has continued to campaign since the debate.
During the debate, Trump was seen contorting his face in shock at Biden’s confusing ramblings and frequent debate gaffes, at one point telling millions of Americans watching at home: “I really don’t know what he[Biden]just said.”
“He is not fit to be president. You know it and I know it.”
Former US president has called climate change a ‘hoax’
