THE federal government has been accused of keeping Australians "in the dark" about the dangers of climate change, an environment information group says.
The Climate Council, which includes leading climate scientists among its members, also says coalition policies have "failed" the Great Barrier Reef.
The council today released a new report saying the government's lack of action on climate change was a defining feature of its 10 years in power as it fights to extend its tenure at the May 18 election.
"The coalition government has slashed climate science funding, censored important information and repeatedly made false claims," said Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie.
In support of its accusations, the council said the government censored a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation report on climate change and World Heritage sites by convincing the UN agency to delete all references to Australia and the Great Barrier Reef.
It had also "repeatedly" tried to avoid scrutiny by releasing greenhouse gas emissions data just before Christmas or on the eve of football grand finals, when fewer people are paying attention, and its ministers had repeatedly made misleading claims.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously said his government would invest $3.5 billion in climate policies and was on track to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 26 per cent by 2030 under the Paris agreement sponsored by the United Nations.
But Mr Morrison's plans have been marked a fail by the Climate Council, which says the government has squandered opportunities.
"Australia is unlikely to meet its weak 2030 emissions reduction target. And yet senior ministers continue to falsely claim that emissions are going down and that our Paris targets will be met," Climate Council member Professor Will Steffen said.
On the Great Barrier Reef, the Climate Council report - entitled "Climate Cuts, Cover-ups and Censorship" - said that under the government the natural wonder had suffered back-to-back bleachings which killed one-third of the marine park.
"Australia's next government has the opportunity to stand up for our Great Barrier Reef as well as the Queensland communities it supports," Ms McKenzie said.
Australian Associated Press
