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Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has promised that if elected, the Coalition will overturn the government’s target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent before 2030.
The opposition leader would instead choose to prioritize gas and nuclear power to help Australia reach zero emissions by 2050.
Opposition politics would see Australia break its signature on the Paris climate accord and join Iran, Libya and Yemen as the only countries in the world not abiding by the 2015 accord.
“Not participating in the Paris Agreement would mean being an international pariah and an investment wasteland,” said Climate Secretary Chris Bowen.
Although current projections show Australia falling short of the 43 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, Bowen insists it is still achievable.
“Every time you set a goal, you set a challenge,” he said.
“Of course we must stay the course.”
“They have no hope of achieving the goals and there is no point in joining goals that you have no prospect of achieving,” Dutton said today in an interview with The Australian.
Both parties still aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, but the opposition wants nuclear power to make up for Australia’s shortfall in energy production.
“The only way Australia can achieve net zero is with nuclear power in the mix,” shadow environment minister Ted O’Brien said.
The proposal to abandon the emissions target has been heavily criticized by environmental groups.
“It’s reckless beyond imagination to say they won’t work to reduce emissions this decade,” said Kelly O’Shanassi of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
Dutton’s pledge set the course for an election battle over energy policy with two wildly different plans for the future.
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