In Australia, Prime Minister Tony Abbott is facing criticism for his proposed greenhouse gas reduction goals, which seek to reduce carbon emissions by at least 26 percent by 2030. This plan rolls back a more ambitious proposal of reducing emissions by 30 percent over the same time period. Abbott’s conservative government also repealed laws last year requiring large companies to pay for carbon emissions. Scientists and environmental groups said the new greenhouse gas reduction plan is “way below” what’s needed to address climate change. Among the many to criticize the plan was Tony de Brum, the foreign minister of the Marshall Islands, who told the Australian broadcaster ABC any proposals that won’t limit the increase of warming to no more than two degrees Celsius threatens his country’s very existence.

Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Tony de Brum “Anything over two degrees for us is the end of our country. We’ll go underwater when that happens. That’s why we’re saying it’s important for Australia, as our big brother to the south, to take our cause and not to do things that would endanger our very existence.”