Climate Change and Global Relations: Australia's Efforts Examined

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of Australia's efforts in addressing climate change within the context of international relations. It begins by defining international relations and its relevance to climate change, emphasizing the global threat posed by rising temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions. The essay examines Australia's commitments under the Paris Agreement, including its emission reduction targets and the framework for international cooperation. It then delves into Australia's domestic responses, including mitigation and adaptation strategies, while also critically assessing the country's actions, such as the approval of the Adani coal mine, which contradicts global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The essay highlights the scientific evidence of global warming in Australia and the need for strong policy actions, while also pointing out the potential consequences of climate change, including natural disasters, forced migration, and health issues. The conclusion underscores the importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources and preventing environmentally damaging projects to curb greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment.

Running Head: International Health relations 1
International Health Relations

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Introduction:
The term international relations can be determined as a division of political science that can be
adopted for developing connections between two economies and also with international policies.
The concept is further observed demonstrating the study of foreign affairs and international
conflicts among the regions that include the roles and obligations of the economies
intergovernmental, NGO, and multinational corporations. Global bonds can be both moot and
public policy field and can be both optimistic and normative as it analyze and frame the foreign
policies of the particular economy. Further, the concept is also concerned about the in explaining
the connections of the states in the global regional system, and this approach also attempts to
describe the interactions of others whose behavior originates within one economy and is targeted
towards member of other countries. In simpler terms the study of international relations is totally
focused and is based on explaining the behavior across the borders of different economies. The
below presented essay has been analyzed for describing Australia’s climate change efforts. The
essay has been focused on the climate change and global relations. As per the given scenario
“Australia has been proven unsuccessful to oblige an adequate role in the global response to
climate change”.
Climate change and international relations:
On the basis of the report presented by International institution of Governance program (2013), it
has been observed that the climate change is one of the most empirical issues in the list of threats
faced by the world. According to the research executed by American Metrological society it has
been stated that there is a high range of probability of rising in global temperature from 3.5 to 7.4
degrees Celsius (6.3 to 13.3 degrees Fahrenheit) in less than one hundred years. These minor

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shifting in the environmental conditions can become reasons for widespread disasters such as
rise in sea levels, violent and volatile weather patterns, famines, droughts, desertification etc. In
November 2011, a warning was given by the International Energy Agency that the world may be
fast moving towards a sloping point of change in climate and also it was suggested that the
coming future will be prove vital for reduction in the efforts for greenhouse.
According to The United Nations Framework Convention on climate change (UNFCCC) it has
been defined as a change of climate that is accredited unswervingly or indirectly to human
practices and due to making modifications in the international atmosphere. Activities that lead to
contamination are arising from the engineering practices and other sources that are held
responsible for the emission of greenhouse gases. These gases include carbon dioxide and other
harmful gases and also have the ability of absorbing the spectrum of the infrared light and
contribute in the warming of the environment. These gases once produced remains imprisoned in
the atmosphere for decades. There are number of reasons for the changes in the climate that are
adversely affecting the climate or the surrounding. The prime reason behind the climate change
is the emission of the dangerous gases and pollutants such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous
oxide and fluorinated gases. It has been observed that the greenhouse is the cycle due to which
the mentioned pollutants and gasses gets imprisoned in the atmosphere and heat the planet. It has
been observed that in the year 1827 Joseph Fourier a French mathematician and physicist
projected that the worming process of earth is acted in the same way as a greenhouse traps heat.
A procedure of noticeable lights and imperceptible radiations, in which the earth’s atmosphere is
acting as a glass barrier, and the observable radioactivity from the sun that badges through the
Earth’s environment will be engrossed by the land, water and vegetation but there are some
pollutants and infrared radiations gets imprisoned in the atmosphere and remains in the

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environment. And it has also been noted that the oxygen and nitrogen and also the other natural
key elements are unable to absorb infrared radiation. The mentioned gases feed-off the heat
energy and a second source of radiation is emitted for warming the surface of the earth. This heat
energy remains imprisoned in the environment and deteriorates the depending on the level of
gases that are able of absorbing it. An increase in the level of greenhouse gases will make a
growth in the absorbing power and that will make more absorption of more infrared radiation
On the basis of the research it has been inferred that Australia has made commitments for taking
strong domestic and international actions for the changes in the climate. It has been observed that
the Australian governing authorities has been making implementation of national policies for
reducing emission of pollutants and cope up with the effects of the climate change in relation to
the co-ordinated international practices. Under the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris (30
November to 12 December 2015) am historical global climate agreement was made (dfat.gov
2018). A durable and dynamic framework has been set by the Paris agreement for all the nations
for taking climate action from 2020, development of existing global efforts in the duration of
2020. The prime outcomes of this agreement include:
 A global goal has been developed for holding the average temperature hike to well below
2°C and efforts are pursued for keeping the warming level below 1.5°C above per-
industrial level.
 Mitigation targets are set by each and every nation from 2020 and targets are also
required to be reviewed from a time interval of 5 years.
 Vigorous transparency and accountability norms for providing confidence in the nation’s
practices conducted and also tracking the progress towards the desired targets.

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 Promotion of the practices to be adopted and also building elasticity to climate change.
Further, in the Paris conference, nations were send invitations for submitting indicative posts-
2020 targets and that were termed as intended nationally determined contributions (INDC’S). It
has been observed that targets have been set by all the member nations to the UNFCCC. That
comprise of all the G20 member nations. These set goals included 96% of international emission,
over 39 percent of international GDP and this also included 99.8 % of the Australia’s two way
trade. Mainly, these goals comprise significantly more that the Cancun agreements (2010) and
under this agreement more than 100 countries took participation and made pledges for
minimizing and setting limits to the greenhouse gases emission by the duration 2020 (dfat.gov
2018).
Making reduction in the emission by 26-29 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 has been
considered as one of the ambitious targets of Australia. This builds on the target of 2020 target
minimizing or eliminating emissions approximately by 5% below levels of 2020. The
attainments of the goals of Australia will be done by credible policy suite that has been made
already engaged in the process of eliminating the emission, encouraging the technological
development, etc.
Australia’s response for climate change:
In Australia, scientific evidence related to global warming is clearly available, and for preventing
the general and dangerous impacts of climate change strong and strict actions are required by
policy makers and industries. Response of departments related to the mitigation clearly state the
need to reduce the rate of warming in the global climate system. On the other hand, adaptation
response are necessary for the purpose of reducing the impact of current and future climate

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related issues and for managing the risk related to changes occurred in future climate (Durrant,
n.d.).
In 2016, Paris Agreement was enforced and the main purpose of this agreement is to strengthen
the global response in context of risk related to climate change. For meeting its initial target in
regards of Paris agreement, Australia committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to
28% in comparison of 2005 by 2030.
Experts believe that mitigation and adaptation efforts conducted by Australia will be strongly
enhanced by the adoption and development of science and technology innovations and these
innovations must be supported by government policies. With strong leadership from government
and active participation from industries, Australia is meeting the challenges and become the
leader in grabbing the opportunities in context of climate change (ATSE, n.d.).
However, there is one more side of coin which reflects that Australia is failed to address the
issues related to climate change. Experts from military and climate department warned the
government that there is possibility that Australia faces various disaster consequences because of
the changes occurred in climate which ultimately results in other natural disasters and forced
migration of 10 million peoples across the region.
Chris Barrie, Former defense force chief Adm stated that ability of Australia to reduce and
respond to the impacts of climate change is affected by the political shyness. Climate change
regulations of Australia have suffered from serious lack of political leadership. Approval to
Adani’s new coal mine is the perfect example for that.

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When world is coming together for the purpose of reducing the carbon emissions to prevent
global warning, at that moment governments of Australia are chasing new proposals of coal mine
of Adani. Government gives approval to the proposal of Adani which would result in the open up
of complete Galilee Basin for poison generated by new mines (Stop Adani, n.d.).
This mine is not only the biggest coal mine in Australia, but it is equal to almost five times the
area of Sydney Harbour. This is the time when there is need to take efforts for reducing carbon
pollution, but this mine complete takes the efforts of Australia in the new direction (The
Guardian, 2017).
It must be noted that, Great Barrier Reef already experience the shocking coral bleaching from
rise in sea temperatures because of the global warming. In case current trends of the climate will
continue, then it is estimated that Great Barrier Reef will experience serious coral bleaching in
every 2nd year.
Changes occur in climate also upturn because of the land clearing for building the mine. Almost,
20,200 hectares of land which is equal to 28,000 soccer fields or 200,000 quarter-acre blocks is
cleared for Adani mills. Over half of the land which is clear for this mine is mature woodland
and bush land which is considered as important territory for number of animals and it also
includes some threatened species such as koalas and echidnas and endangered birds (Coates, et.
al, 2014).
Heat waves generated from mines which cause serious health issues which result in more deaths
in Australia in comparison of deaths occurred from natural disasters since 1890. Longer, hotter,
and more intense heat waves in Australia are being determined by changes occurred in climate.
Research stated that number of deaths in summer are increasing as compared to deaths occurred

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in winters which clearly states that changes occurred in climate affects the mortality rate. New
mine project of Adani make this situation worse.
Australia and other countries of the world already bear the consequences of polluting air and
water, and we area also facing the dangers which cause because of the changes occurred in
climate. We must conduct actions which ensure changes from polluting coal, oil, and gas to
100% renewable energy to stop greenhouse gas emissions which already reach to more
dangerous levels. The first step in this context is the prevention of Australia’s biggest coal mine
proposal, before it gets started.
Greenhouse gas emission is not the only issue, coal mine also robs billions of liters of water and
this water will be taken from the ground water systems and Queensland’s inland rivers. This
mine use up to 9500 million liters of groundwater which is draining into a vast coal pits and
underground mines each year. Governments also take actions to make sure that Adani gets the
groundwater for free, and for this purpose government also deprive farmers from their rights to
file appeal against Adani for taking their groundwater (agarwal, 2017; Env law, 2015). This step
of government results in permanent changes in the groundwater system and water table will also
drop. In other words, Adani not only rob the local farmers but it also drain water from the rare
and ancient Doongmabulla and Mellaluka springs which provide support to the native animals
and plants.
Coal mine of Adani also get permission to draw water from aquifers and for this purpose Adani
dig deep. This water will be sprayed on the mine for getting billowing clouds of coal dust which
will be generated by this project, and it will also be used for washing the coal which prepared for

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export. Mines of Adani create big risk for the water resources of Queensland (Department of
Environment and Heritage Protection, n.d.).
Shortage of fresh water results in famine, and starving people becomes the serious problem for
Australia. Historical evidence suggests that under these situations there are chances of mass
migration (The Guardian, 2017).
After considering the above facts, it can be said that political system of Australia in context of
climate change is corrupt, and it fails to fulfill its obligations.
Australia also fails to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions which are combined with its
investment in new coal mining projects, and these new investments threatening the long term
future of the Great Barrier Reef. In 2016, almost 22% of the corals died in the reefs and these
deaths occurred in the areas of northern part of the reef. Climate change is considered as biggest
reason for the declining health of reef, which is increasing the ocean temperatures and
acidification.
World Heritage Organization pushes the nations, especially Australia to take actions to protect
their coral reefs. World Heritage Convention wants that Australia take all necessary actions and
use appropriate resources for the purpose of protecting its coral reefs. Clear evidences are present
which reflect that climate changes endangered the coral reefs, but still Australia make new
investments in the coal mines projects.
Instead of fulfilling its obligation for protecting the Great Barrier Reef from the future events of
coral bleaching, Australia is failing to take actions which are fair and help the government in

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reducing the greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it can be said that Australia fails to meet its
obligations under the Paris Agreement (Davy, 2017).
Tourism policy of Australia fails to support climate change:
International journal of sustainable tourism reflects that only 21% of the tourism policies of
Australia contain provisions related to the climate change, and these provisions only
acknowledge the climate change as an issue.
Instead of the fact that tourism is very important for the economy of Australia and it’s worth
billions of dollars, and has been found by scientists that it also contributes in the climate change,
only five tourism strategies of Australia recognize the impact of this sector on changes occurred
in climate.
After considering the documents related to the policy, it is found that tourism strategy of
Australia mainly focuses on the adaptation strategies accompanied with mitigation. Documents
further stated that certification and accreditation are also considered as adaptation measures by
the tourism industry.
State government of Australia is less proactive in considering the impact of tourism on climate
change, and this can be understood through example, NSW fails to mention anything about the
climate change in their tourism state level strategies. Experts stated that tourism sector has
significant potential to improve and take action for preventing climate changes. In other words,
tourism sector can develop mitigation and adaptation strategies.

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There are number of opportunities available to the tourism industry for the purpose of
contributing in the sustainable management of climate change such as they can develop more
green products and they can implement more environment friendly practices (QUT, 2017).
Review of Climate change policies of Australia:
In 2017, government of Australia reviewed its climate change policy for the purpose of ensuring
that they are effective in achieving the target set for 2030 and obligation stated under Paris
Agreement. This review was conducted by the Department of the Environment and Energy.
As per this review report, government of Australia committed to addressing the climate change
issues and at similar time they are taking steps to maintain the energy security and affordability
and the competitiveness of our industries. The government recognizes that while reducing the
emissions and for meeting the international obligations there is need to balance the economic
impacts (DEE, 2017).
However, reality is different from this review, as Lawyers while addressing the serious concern
of UNESCO in context of coral bleaching and mortality rate related to the Great Barrier Reef
caused by the changes occurred in climate stated, that Australia is not fulfilling its international
obligation to protect the coral reef from the impacts of climate changes.
Documents released by UNESCO show serious concern about the coral bleaching and mortality
on the Great Barrier Reef caused by the Climate change (Environmental Justice Australia, 2017).
As stated by the international and Australian lawyers To the UNESCO’s World Heritage
Committee must ask the Australia to do its fair share for the purpose of protecting the reef in the
future.

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Recommendations:
In light of the above stated facts, it is recommended to the authorities at international level to
take following actions:
 International authorities must express their concern on serious note in context of coral
bleaching and increasing mortality rate.
 Authorities must make call on Australia for not supporting and approving the new
development projects that will directly or indirectly cause harm to the environment.
 Authorities must make request to the Australian government to monitors its current
strategies and make necessary changes in it (SMH, 2017).
 Australia must review its progress in context of climate change on continuous basis and
with honesty.
Conclusion:
This report mainly focuses on the climate change and international relations in Australia. As
stated by the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change (UNFCCC), change of
climate is directly or indirectly related to human practices and because of altering the
international atmosphere.
Australia fail to address the issues related to climate change in different areas such as greenhouse
gas emissions. Experts from defense and climate department warned the Australian government
that country face various disaster consequences because of the changes occurred in the climate.
After considering the above facts, it can be said that political system of Australia in context of
climate change is completely corrupt and this system fails to fulfill its obligations. Australia also

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fails to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and instead of taking efforts Australia is investing in
new coal mining projects, and these new investments threatening the long term future of the
Great Barrier Reef.
As stated above, Australia accept the obligations under Paris agreement but it fails to meet these
obligations, and this fact is provided by different evidences such as approval of Australia
government to the proposal of Adani new coal mine. In other words, instead of fulfilling its
obligation for protecting the Great Barrier Reef from the future events of coral bleaching
Australia is welcoming the proposals of new coal mines.
References

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Agarwal, K, (2017). Adani’s Australia Story: What’s the Fuss All About?, Retrieved on 21st
February 2018 from: https://thewire.in/188092/adanis-australia-story-whats-the-fuss-all-
about/.
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https://www.atse.org.au/content/publications/policy/australias-response-to-climate-
change.aspx.
Coates L, et. al. (2014). Exploring 167 years of vulnerability: an examination of extreme heat
events in Australia 1844–2010. Environmental Science & Policy. 42:33-44.
Davy, C, (2017). Australia failing to protect Great Barrier Reef, Retrieved on 21st February 2018
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