Managing the elephant at the Brisbane G20
The G20 is bigger than the bad behaviour of any one country, and it would be unfortunate if the controversy over Russian president Vladimir Putin’s presence – now confirmed - were to overshadow next month’s…
Primary Results
G20 leaders pledge on growth and support climate action
G20 nations have supported “strong and effective” action on climate change, but included some equivocal wording on the timing for issuing post-2020 targets and on the Green Climate Fund to accommodate…
Vital Signs: scrape below the surface and the economy doesn’t look so good
The RBA leaves rates on hold, Australia gets a GDP growth spurt from pre-election spending, and the IMF lays the groundwork for a lowering of global growth expectations.
Shorten urges climate issues be a priority at G20
Opposition leader Bill Shorten has taken his battle with prime minister Tony Abbott over climate policy to an international stage, saying the issue should be a priority for the G20 leaders’ meeting in…
What to expect from the G20 communique and why we should expect more
Although Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott believes the G20 should focus solely on economic issues, leaving security, social and environmental challenges to other forums, external pressures continue…
China: still the world’s biggest emitter, but also an emerging force in climate diplomacy
Australia’s Chris Bowen was among a select group of ministers meeting in Wuhan, China this week to progress global climate negotiations. Here’s why China is taking climate so seriously.
Australia’s environment minister doesn’t get a guernsey at Lima climate change conference
Tony Abbott is sending Trade Minister Andrew Robb rather than Environment Minister Greg Hunt to accompany Julie Bishop at the United Nations climate conference in Peru. Bishop, as Foreign Minister, is…
Vital Signs: Get ready for the Aussie dollar to fall
All economic data is pointing to disappointing global growth.
Building big: does Australia need a global infrastructure hub?
Infrastructure investment is failing to attract the funding it needs to support global growth. As of June 2014, the managed funds industry in Australia had just over $2.4 trillion dollars under management…
To get climate change under control, our growth fetish must go
The recent US-China climate announcement is a significant development in humanity’s equivocal response to the climate crisis. Despite over four decades of political engagement with climate change, tangible…