Lidia Kelly

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Australia has set its 2030 emission target and is determined to meet it. However, ministers did not say whether the targets will be revised as required by the UN climate summit in Glasgow.

Glasgow talks concluded Saturday with a deal, which for the first time targeted fossil fuels in the main driver of global climate change, and called for greater emissions commitments by 2022.

“Australia has set its 2030 targets and we have committed to beating them,” said Foreign Minister Marise Taylor and Energy Minister Angus Taylor in a joint statement following the summit. The ministers also stated that they will “do what’s best for rural communities and other regional areas.”

Australia has committed to a reduction of 26%-28% in its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, as per the current agreement.

Climate Action Network activists called the country the “colossal fossil”, referring to its “appalling” approach to climate change. It is one of the world’s largest producers of gas and coal.

Scott Morrison, Prime Minister, adopted the target of zero net carbon emissions by 2050. He said however that he will not legislate this goal. A global commitment by the United States and Europe to reduce methane emissions 30% per year by 2030 was rejected by Scott Morrison.

Greg Hunt (Australia’s Health Minister, who also served as the Environment Minister in 2013-2016) refused to comment on Sunday if the government would update this target.

We’ve already set our goal. Hunt explained that we will update our projections but it is what we plan to continue doing,” Hunt told Australian Broadcast Corp’s Insiders program.

Hunt paraphrased William Shakespeare in his play Henry IV, saying: “I never promised thee to pay thee but now that I am here, I will pay thee twice.” It is a combination of under-promises and exceedingly successful.