On climate policy Australia scores zero out of 100.

As Energy Minister Angus Taylor prepares to address the UN climate talks in Madrid, the latest edition of the annual Climate Change Performance Index has Australia dropping one place to 56th – ahead of only Iran, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Saudi Arabia and the USA – and scoring zero out of 100 on climate policy.

Sweden, Denmark and Morocco come out with the best scores in the index, which is prepared by Germanwatch, Climate Action Network and the NewClimate Institute and examines the climate actions of countries responsible for 90 per cent of global climate pollution.

Australia’s performance is ranked ‘low’ in two of the index’s four categories – greenhouse emissions and renewables – and ‘very low’ on energy use and climate policy.

On climate policy Australia scores zero out of 100.

“Australia’s zero on climate policy shows up the Morrison’s Government’s spin,” said Campaigns Director at the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), Dr Paul Sinclair.

“Australia’s climate pollution has gone up and up since the Coalition came to office in 2013.

“It’s clear the Morrison Government’s climate policies have no teeth.

“The Morrison Government owes it to all Australians facing worsening drought, greater extreme heat and more dangerous bushfire seasons to quickly bolster domestic climate action in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and become a more forceful global advocate for change.”

“It is no surprise that Australia continues to slip further down global rankings on climate performance, as national emissions and fossil fuel exports continue to climb,” said Richie Merzian, Climate & Energy Director at the Australia Institute.

“Australia has little in the way of climate credentials and of 57 nations, along with the EU, is the only one to score a zero on climate policies.

“Australia will find it harder and harder to argue for special treatment in the UN climate negotiations, including to secure a loophole to reduce its emission reduction efforts under the Paris Agreement.

“Sometimes it takes an outsiders perspective to realise how wrong things are on the inside in Australia when it comes to climate change. Hopefully this result acts as a wake-up call to increase local action and global cooperation to solve the climate crisis.”

Read the Climate Change Performance Index results and the Australia scorecard.