June 8th 2024.
If elected, Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has promised to scrap the current government's target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43% before 2030. Instead, Dutton plans to prioritize the use of gas and nuclear power to help Australia reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
This policy would mean that Australia would no longer be a part of the Paris Climate Agreement, joining only a handful of countries such as Iran, Libya, and Yemen who have not signed the treaty. Climate Minister Chris Bowen expressed concerns about this decision, stating that it would make Australia an international pariah and hinder investment opportunities.
Despite projections showing that Australia may fall short of the 43% reduction target by 2030, Bowen believes that it is still achievable. He acknowledged that setting targets comes with challenges, but believes that staying the course is necessary.
On the other hand, Dutton argued that the current government has no hope of reaching the emissions targets and signing up for them would be pointless. In an interview with The Australian, he stated that there is no sense in committing to targets that cannot be achieved.
Both parties still aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, but the opposition believes that nuclear energy is necessary to fill the gap in Australia's power generation. Shadow Environment Minister Ted O'Brien stated that nuclear energy is the only way for Australia to reach net-zero emissions.
However, this proposal to abandon the emissions target has been heavily criticized by conservation groups. Kelly O'Shanassy from the Australian Conservation Foundation called it "reckless beyond imagination" and expressed concerns about the lack of efforts to reduce emissions in the current decade.
Dutton's pledge has set the stage for an election battle on energy policy, with two vastly different plans for the future.
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