Analisis Latar Belakang Australia dalam Meratifikasi Paris Agreement on Climate Change 2015

RAMADHAN DODI P, Atin Prabandari, SIP., MA(IR)

2018 | Skripsi | S1 ILMU HUBUNGAN INTERNASIONAL

Isu lingkungan saat ini merupakan hal yang kompleks dan memerlukan penyelesaian di berbagai bidang dan tingkatan. Australia yang merupakan salah satu produsen dan pengguna bahan bakar fosil penghasil gas rumah kaca terbesar turut meratifikasi Paris Agreement on Climate Change yang berada di bawah naungan UNFCCC, meskipun mendapat berbagai penentangan dari dalam pemerintahan mereka sendiri yang berargumen bahwa hal ini dapat mengganggu pertumbuhan ekonomi nasional. Bila melihat perjalanan Australia dalam rezim lingkungan internasional selama ini, dapat dilihat bahwa sektor ekonomi memiliki dorongan yang sangat kuat terhadap arah kebijakan lingkungan Australia. Sejak masa pemerintahan Paul Keating (1991-1996) kepentingan ekonomi seringkali berbenturan dengan usaha mitigasi lingkungan. Dilema yang dihadapi cukup beralasan mengingat ketergantungan Australia terhadap bahan bakar fosil terutama batu bara telah memberikan stabilitas ekonomi dan mendorong kemajuan industri Australia Kenyataan bahwa Paris Agreement membutuhkan waktu yang sangat singkat untuk selesai diratifikasi menunjukkan urgensi terhadap isu perubahan iklim semakin meningkat. Sebagai negara middle power yang menjalankan prinsip good international citizenship, Australia tentunya akan berusaha untuk mewujudkan peran, strategi, dan kepentingan pada tingkat internasional melalui institusi dan perjanjian internasional. Dengan meningkatnya tekanan internasional dan penurunan reputasi yang dialami oleh Australia dalam setidaknya dua dekade terakhir, kehadiran Paris Agreement memberikan peluang sekaligus tantangan baru bagi Australia dalam menyikapi isu perubahan iklim dan pemanasan global.

Environmental issues are very complex, so they need to be addressed in various fields and levels. Australia, one of the largest producer and consumer of fossil fuel, has also ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change under the UNFCCC, despite receiving a lot of criticism from within their own government who argues that this agreement could disrupt national economic growth. When looking back at Australia's journey in the international environmental regime so far, we can see that the economic sector has a very strong drive towards the direction of Australia’s environmental policy. Since Paul Keating’s time as Prime Minister (1991-1996), economic interests have often clashed with environmental mitigation efforts. The dilemma faced is arguably reasonable given that Australia's dependence on fossil fuels, especially coal, has provided economic stability and boosted the progress of their industry. The fact that the Paris Agreement requires a very short time to be ratified shows that the urgency of the issue of climate change is increasing. As a middle power country that carries out the principle of good international citizenship, Australia will certainly strive to carry out its role, strategy, and interests at the international level through international institutions and agreements. With increasing international pressure and a decline in reputation experienced by Australia in the last two decades, the presence of Paris Agreement provides opportunities as well as new challenges for Australia in addressing the issue of climate change and global warming.

Kata Kunci : Australia, rezim lingkungan internasional, perubahan iklim, middle power politics, ratifikasi