Greenpeace Australia Pacific has called on Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen to stop approving new fossil fuel projects as he leads international climate negotiations in Germany this week.
Bowen is attending a major climate conference in Bonn, where he has said Australia will advance discussions on energy security, clean energy and climate action.
Dr Simon Bradshaw, Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s COP31 lead, said growing climate risks and global energy challenges make it urgent to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
Bradshaw said: “Amid a global energy crisis, accelerating climate disasters and a looming super El Niño, the urgency to accelerate climate action and break free from fossil fuel dependence has never been clearer.”
He argued that Bowen has repeatedly described the world as being in a “fossil fuel crisis” and said Australia should align its domestic policies with that message.
“Minister Bowen has been telling Australia and the world that we are in a global ‘fossil fuel crisis’, and that unhooking from fossil fuels is fundamental both to tackling the climate crisis and to ensuring secure and affordable energy,” Bradshaw said.
Bradshaw said Australia should build on momentum from COP30 in Belém and demonstrate leadership by immediately halting new fossil fuel developments.
In comments released ahead of the conference, Bowen said the world was experiencing the biggest energy shock in history and that countries increasingly agree clean energy and electrification are the future.
“We are living through the biggest energy shock in history and the world agrees that clean energy and electrification is the future for a more sovereign and secure energy system,” Bowen said.
Bowen highlighted Australia’s clean energy progress, saying one in three households now has rooftop solar and more than 420,000 home batteries have been installed. He said Australia wants to share that experience internationally.