With an emissions reduction target that is weaker than Europe, the United States and other major economies, Australia will need to up its game now that it is a member of the Climate Club.
Entry into the G7-backed club may force Australia to take more action on climate change, according to Simon Bradshaw, director of research at the Climate Council.
“We will now rightly see even more international pressure on Australia to up our game,” Bradshaw said.
"Joining the Climate Club is a good move, but it must be backed by stronger steps at home to phase out fossil fuels and build the clean industries of the future.”
The Climate Club was formed last year by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, to decarbonise industry and pursue net zero emissions by 2050.
Other members include France, Italy, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan and the United States.
Bradshaw said net zero emissions by 2050 is far too slow, the goal should be 2035.
Climate Councillor and economist Nicki Hutley said it is very much in Australia’s economic interests to join the club.
She said joining the Climate Club is symbolic of Australia’s reputational shift from a climate laggard to a country that is now being welcomed back into the fold.
“Despite making progress, we can and should accelerate our emissions reduction efforts, given our vast natural and financial resources,” Hutley said.
“We mustn't rest on our laurels, but we are certainly being welcomed into the international fold more than we have been for a long time.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Germany and Australia are already cooperating on the production and transportation of green hydrogen, a partnership that could be extended further in the future.
Albanese said he hoped collaboration between the two countries would lead to more jobs in Australia.
Earlier today the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced details of a World first hydrogen pilot for low carbon alumina.
ARENA has provided $32.1 million for Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation to trial hydrogen calcination technology at the Yarwun Alumina Refinery in Gladstone, Queensland.
The $111.1 million ‘Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation Yarwun Hydrogen Calcination Pilot Demonstration Program will reduce emissions in alumina refining, which currently contributes roughly three per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The project will consist of a 2.5 MW on site electrolyser to supply hydrogen and a retrofit of one of the refinery’s calciners to operate with a hydrogen burner.
Sumitomo Corporation will own and operate the electrolyser at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun site and supply the hydrogen to Rio Tinto directly. The electrolyser will have a production capacity of more than 250 tonnes of hydrogen annually.
Rio Tinto will conduct a series of tests of the hydrogen calciner under differing operating conditions to validate suitability and performance.
Calciners, which use high temperatures to extract chemically bound water from alumina crystals, traditionally use fossil fuels for process heat and contribute roughly 30 per cent of emissions from alumina refining.
Hydrogen calcination also produces high purity steam, which unlike contaminated steam from fossil fuel calcination, can be recycled for use in other stages of the refining process.
If successful, the project will demonstrate the viability of hydrogen calcination and pave the way for adoption at scale across other alumina refineries.
Australia is the world’s largest exporter of alumina, the mineral feedstock for aluminium production, with the industry contributing $7.5 billion to the nation’s GDP.