COP31 - Federal Budget Pre-Budget Submission 2024 - 25
Introduction
This submission outlines key measures the COP31 Collaboration Group (CCG) believes will significantly strengthen Australia’s leadership role in addressing climate change both nationally and internationally. It recognises the opportunity for Australia to co-host COP31 in partnership with the Pacific and undertake a COP Presidency that advances the global climate agenda by integrating action on climate change to benefit our communities, our economy and our future.
It is important to note that this submission does not override the policy positions outlined in any individual Federal Budget submissions from CCG members. The focus of this submission is solely on measures to enhance an Australian and Pacific co-hosted COP31 in 2026.
The content of this submission includes: a brief background to the CCG and to COP31; a summative listing of proposed measures; further details about the costing of proposals; and a conclusion.
Australia confronts growing costs of living, global economic challenges, the impact of climate change and an increase in the frequency of natural disaster, and the enduring impact of pandemic, global conflict and other events.
A government committed to building economic strength, social resilience and productivity across our communities will actively encourage and invest in climate change leadership and action, both globally and across Australian communities. With COP31 only two years away, taking on a leadership role will require a significant investment of time and expertise to ensure COP31 is successful and effective.
CCG welcomes this opportunity to provide input into the Federal Budget process and would welcome any further opportunities to engage in more detailed discussion about any issues this submission raises.
The COP31 Collaboration Group (CCG)
Over the past nine months, a range of partners from community, business, finance, academia, climate and nature have come together to establish the COP31 Collaboration Group (CCG). Our aim is to connect people, planet, peace and prosperity into narratives, actions and advocacy to ensure that an Australian COP Presidency in partnership with the Pacific delivers for communities, for the planet, and for our future, by influencing and enhancing:
- Public discourse
- Individual and community engagement and empowerment
- Government policy, action and ambition
- Business and investment decisions
- COP31 global
CCG has collectively established working groups that pick up on these themes, including:
- People – learning from First Nations to lead for people, planet, peace and prosperity (First Nations led engagement, supported by research, amplifying First Nations’ and Pacific experience and voices)
- Community – our say, our stories, our needs, our opportunities (community engagement)
- Economy and government – transition for prosperity (the renewable and economically inclusive super-power story from investment, business, unions) and the leadership and enabling roles of government
Environment – achieving climate goals through COP31.
COP31 – the opportunity
The Albanese Government has realised that if Australia is concerned about its future, it must take a leading global role in efforts to curb climate change and help provide a platform for Pacific nations that are literally being swallowed up by rising oceans. The bid to co-host COP31 with the Pacific signals Australia is ready to take on this role and to be an authentic partner in our Pacific neighbourhood.
Just as importantly, COP31 can be a catalyst for communities, businesses, social groups, individuals and families to participate and to have conversations about climate action, leaving behind the mire of climate wars, and moving co-operatively into a new decade of opportunity.
The science is clear. We are cooking our planet and our future. Australian governments and communities are already facing the increased risk and uncertainty of a climate changing world that is increasingly impacting and threatening wellbeing, lives, livelihoods and productivity.
An Australia-Pacific co-hosted COP31 is a game-changing opportunity to embrace a whole of society approach to engagement about climate change and a resilient future. Done well, it will help ensure that the complex negotiations between nations deliver the outcomes our world needs and see the world’s biggest tradeshow and two-year COP Presidency showcase and fast track Australia’s capacity to be a global leader in climate solutions and a renewable energy super-power. Domestically, it is a golden opportunity to proactively and positively engage all Australians and communities in discussion about the impact climate change is having in our lives and to empower people to make a tangible difference.
The bid to co-host COP31 offers Australia the chance to position our nation and our economy to flourish in the global transition required to respond to climate change. It requires several critical steps. First, Australia must exit fossil fuels out of our economy, second it must seize the economic and social opportunity that the renewable revolution represents, and finally it must become a world leader in international development and global diplomacy.
These steps will transform COP31 from a UN meeting held in Australia to one in which Australia and the Pacific could lead the way in transforming world systems and climate action during this critical decade.
COP31 is our chance to deliver real change for people, the climate and nature. Real change can only be achieved by governments, communities, business and investors acting together. We start building success, by building engagement.
Proposed budget measures
The CCG are committed to ensuring an Australia-Pacific hosted COP31 in 2026 has a sustainable positive impact on climate change and integrates climate action into economic opportunity, resilience and into the lived experience of people in their families, communities, workplaces and with their governments.
To achieve this outcome will require significant Federal Government investment, particularly in the lead up to COP31.
The CCG believe the key to delivering a successful COP31 is engagement, including globally, in our Pacific neighbourhood, and at home, across sectors, and deep into our communities. We welcome the appointment of Australia’s Climate Change Ambassador and recommend the following actions to provide the foundations for local engagement to support Australia’s climate leadership ambition.
1. Establish six fully-resourced COP31 envoys.
Each COP31 envoy will develop and implement engagement strategies that deliver whole-of- sector buy-in to address climate change in each key area of the COP31 process. This will require considerable resources and the development of many partnerships across multiple sectors. There will need to be events, many forms of learning opportunities, research, campaigns, consultations, information platforms and incentive mechanisms. The envoys will need to build teams of COP31 champions to boost engagement and buy-in to COP31.
We recommend envoys in the following areas:
1.1 COP31 First Nations and Pacific Envoy
Learning from First Nations to lead COP31 for people, planet, peace and prosperity. This envoy will prioritise First Nations-led engagement that is supported by research and amplifies First Nation and Pacific experience and voices. It is not an option to ignore the experience of first nations peoples or to not address the need for climate justice.
1.2 COP31 Community Engagement, Charities and NFPs Envoy
Community adaptation, prevention and reduction of emissions, resilience, response and recovery are all critical to communities across Australia and the Pacific, and around the world. Ensuring communities and their organisations have an active role in COP31 will be critical to ensuring real and sustainable change.
1.3 COP31 Economy and Business Envoy
The engine room of change will be business decision-making and strengthening the economies of climate change action in Australia and around the world. Working pro- actively with business will be a critical aspect of developing an effective COP31.
1.4 COP31 Finance, Investment and International Development Envoy
Access to capital, climate finance and private and public sector investment will all play a pivotal role as economies adapt to a climate changing world. This envoy will work to promote the opportunities for climate investment to drive productivity and economic growth, while also ensuring a climate equity lens informs investment and public policy decision-making in COP31.
1.5 COP31 Governments and Policy Envoy
Engagement in addressing climate change needs to be a key priority for all governments and policy makers. This will not just happen without active engagement.
1.6 COP31 Environment Change Envoy
The end goal of any COP is to make the world safer and reduce the harm humans are causing. This envoy will engage with all parties to refine and promote effective action to address climate change.
Each envoy will need a budget allocation of $5 million per annum for two years, given the work required and the need to start immediately to achieve maximum impact.
In the context of the overall costs of climate change and the cost of running a COP, this is a relatively small ask of $30 million per annum to underwrite the work of six COP31 envoys.
2. COP31 Co-ordination Support
Independent of the work of the COP31 envoys, the Federal Government will need to fund co- ordination across all six envoy areas, and the linking and connecting of all the unofficial effort already started around COP31 into structures and processes to inform the actual COP31 meeting, the COP Presidency and follow-up. This is not so much about increasing engagement as ensuring different parts of the COP31 engagement work are aware of each other and collaborating towards shared goals. This coordination will support the efforts of Australia’s Climate Change Ambassador and the leadership of the Australian Government.
The allocation for this activity is $2 million per annum for two years.
3. COP31 International engagement with Non-State Actors
While this Pre-Budget Submission focuses on local engagement, non-state actors around the world will play an important role in influencing international communities and policy-makers through their participation, contributions and negotiations at COP31. A budget allocation will be required to support the critical work of Australia’s diplomatic missions and Ambassador for Climate Change in engaging with key international economic, research and civil society organisations.
The allocation for this activity is $2 million per annum for two years.
4. Research and evaluation of COP31 engagement activities and outcomes
One of the identified issues with the COP events is the lack of good monitoring and evaluation about what processes worked, the degree to which the outcomes of the COP meetings are informed by the pre-COP engagement activities, and the degree to which engagement strategies may or may not ensure ongoing commitment to COP31 outcomes.
Australia has an opportunity to implement monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to develop a better understanding of how to engage various sectors in climate change activity, and the effectiveness of that activity in shaping and sustaining outcomes. This would benefit not just COP31 but many future efforts in similar areas.
The allocation for this activity is $1.5 million per annum for two years.
Budget implications (costings)
Success at COP31 will only be achieved if the event is grounded in strong engagement across governments, business, community groups, First Nations peoples, and COP31 Pacific Island co-hosts.
The savings and benefits that could be made through Australia taking a leading role in an effective COP31 are very significant.
The total outlay of this budget measure is $35.5 million per annum, a total of $71 million prior to COP31 in 2026.
Some of these allocations may come from existing budget items including unspent funds from this budget measure: Department of Climate Change, – 20.1 13.9 5.5 4.7 Energy, the Environment and Water – The Government will provide $45.8 million over 6 years from 2022–23 to restore Australia’s reputation and increase international engagement on climate change and energy transformation issues.
Conclusion
CCG acknowledges that COVID-19, inflation and global events have created new challenges for governments and for budgets.
We contend that the biggest threat to Australia is human-induced climate change.
Taking a leadership role in COP31 will not only benefit Australia but, if done well, will help address the need for urgent action to reduce the terrible toll climate change will otherwise inflict on Australia and the world.
The Federal Budget is the most important policy document a Federal Government produces. Recognising the impact of climate change through active leadership of COP31 and a COP Presidency will deliver positive outcomes for individuals, families, communities, business and governments in Australia and around the world.