In terms of climate change mitigation, Australia was the worst performing industrial country in 2014, claims a new report.
The Climate Change Performance Index ranks emissions and climate policies of the world’s 58 highest carbon dioxide emitters.
The report ranked Denmark as the top performing country, followed by Sweden. The United Kingdom came in a commendable third.
Australia, meanwhile, has slipped a staggering 21 positions just in the past year, now ranking a dismal 57th on the index, second last with only Saudi Arabia behind it. It makes Australia the worst performing industrial country on the list.
About 300 energy and climate experts help to compile the annual Climate Change Performance Index, reviewing each nation’s carbon and climate policies.
The report, published by non-governmental organisations Germanwatch and CAN Europe, cited recent policy changes by Australia’s conservative government, such as the scrapping of the carbon tax and the proposed halving of the country’s renewable energy target, as playing a key role in the nation’s poor ranking.
“As a result, the country lost a further 21 positions in the policy evaluation compared with last year (2013), thus replacing Canada as the worst performing industrial country,” the report states.
IMAGE: The Loy Yang power station is the largest in Australia. (By Daniel L Smith / Shutterstock.com)