The passage of the Zero Carbon Act has New Zealand head and shoulders above Australia's action to prevent dangerous climate change, according to a new trans-Tasman analysis.
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A score card published by climate action advocates 350.org has praised New Zealand's "global leadership" on reducing emissions, while Australia's policy inaction is described as "a source of great shame".
Linking policy paralysis on climate change to the bushfires ravaging many parts of Australia this month, 350 is urging local politicians to follow the lead set by their New Zealand counterparts.
"As we can see with these devastating fires, there are real consequences to the political games our politicians want to play," 350 Australia deputy chief executive Glen Klatovsky said.
"We congratulate New Zealand for their global leadership.
"Australia's climate policy is not just a sham it's a source of great shame.
"We need to join our friends from across the ditch on this one."
Jacinda Ardern's government legislated not only their Paris Agreement target this month, but went further by committing to becoming a net zero carbon-emitting country by 2050.
Cross-party support for the law and the establishment of an independent climate commission has relegated debate on climate change from a top-line political issue.
New Zealand also boasts an emissions trading scheme, already operational for over a decade, an ambitious goal to plant one billion trees by 2028 and another to have its entire electricity needs met by renewable energy by 2035.
On each of these fronts, Australia is left in the shade.
Australia's renewable energy target will run out next year.
Various attempts at pricing carbon have failed to attract bipartisan support, within the broader context of white-hot political fights around the very basics of climate science.
There is no aspiration beyond its Paris Agreement emissions reduction target, which expires in 2030.
Australia's effort to meet that commitment has been tempered by its intention to "carry over" its surplus budget from the Kyoto Protocol - seen as a fudge by climate activists.
Australia's Paris pledge is similar to New Zealand's, but unlike the Kiwis, Canberra hasn't shown an ability to cut emissions.
New Zealand's emissions peaked more than a decade ago while Australia's continue to go up, with no mechanism to rein them in.
In fact, a United Nations report released last week said Australia's emissions are poised to get much worse.
Under the federal government's own projections, "extraction-based emissions from fossil fuel production" is set to increase 95 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030, when Australia's Paris Agreement commitment is to reduce emissions by 26-28 per cent.
The same report said Australia subsidises fossil fuel production by $12 billion each year.
At the UN in September, Ardern announced New Zealand would lead a global effort to eliminate those subsidies.
"This is the height of policy incoherence on an issue where we can't afford to carry on the mistakes of the past," she said.
The Bill McKibben-founded 350.org group says "Aotearoa leads in all fronts and deserves respect for that".
"Their plans are not as just or ambitious as they could be, but next to Australia it's clear New Zealanders understand we are facing a climate crisis," Patricia Mallam from 350 Pacific said.
"Australia has almost no runs on the board when it comes to climate policy.
"Their emissions are going up, not down - they have no plan to decarbonise their electricity sector or to make a just transition out of fossil fuel extraction like coal."
KIWIS ON TOP, AUSSIES DOWN UNDER ON CLIMATE
* Paris Agreement Commitments
Australia: Reduction target of 26-28 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030
New Zealand: Reduction target of 30 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030
* Long-Term Commitment
Australia: Not set
New Zealand: Net zero emissions (except methane) by 2050
* Legislated Commitments?
Australia: No
New Zealand: Yes, and further commitments through Zero Carbon Act
* Global Emissions Share
Australia: 1.3 per cent - or 16.2 tonnes per capita annually - second in the world, behind Saudi Arabia
New Zealand: 0.2 per cent - 7.4 tonnes per capita annually
* Emissions Trajectory
Australia: Emissions from fossil fuels have never been higher. Recent emissions are seven per cent above 2005 levels
New Zealand: Emissions peaked in 2006 and are now 5.5 per cent lower
Source: 350.org Trans Tasman Climate Policy Scorecard
Australian Associated Press
