Speaking to reporters in New York this morning, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to the climate comments made by Trump in his address to the UN in New York overnight.
“Australia has a challenge of climate change, but we also have an opportunity to benefit our economy, to grow jobs. We certainly are embarking on that, and we have a positive, constructive agenda,” Albanese said.
Asked whether climate would be on the agenda for the meeting between the two leaders confirmed to take place next month, the PM said: “We’ve had respectful calls. Australia and the United States are great partners. I expect it to be very constructive. What we are accepting, what we can do, is we have meetings and we have them respectfully, and that means not foreshadowing everything that happens in meetings, at press conferences.”
Anthony Albanese outside the UN headquarters in New York on Monday.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
Australia is competing with Turkey in a bid to host COP31, the UN’s next annual climate summit to be held in 2026. Australia is bidding to co-host the summit in partnership with Pacific nations.
Minister for Climate Change Chris Bowen said, “the situation remains the same. The support from international [partners] is overwhelming, actually overwhelming. Out of 28 members of our group at least 23 support our bid. As I’ve said before, the process does work in consensus. That’s why I’ve had good and positive conversations.”
Australia’s “two key objectives”, Bowen told reporters, were “hosting COP in Adelaide” and “hosting a very investment focused COP, investing in Australia’s renewable energy superpower, as well as lifting the agenda of the Pacific.”
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