The Nationals have unanimously agreed to stop supporting net zero emissions by 2050.
Leader David Littleproud said the party is “not walking away from reducing emissions,” but instead finding “a cheaper, better, and fairer way.”
Coalition partner the Liberal Party, which is yet to reach a consensus on net zero, said it acknowledges the Nationals’ decision “as their own party… to arrive at their own position.”
Net Zero
Net zero refers to balancing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and taken out of the atmosphere.
When fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil are burned, they release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Australia has legislated to achieve net zero by 2050. The plan involves reducing emissions by transitioning to renewable energy, such as wind and solar.
Report
The Nationals’ announcement comes after senior party members commissioned a report into Australia’s climate policy from the Page Research Centre.
The centre was founded by then-Nationals leader John Anderson in 2003.
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your details:
Its report says “Australia’s net zero strategy is failing,” and that the policy is “raising costs, hollowing out our industrial base, and degrading the environment it claims to protect.”
One of its key findings was that Australia is reducing emissions “at nearly twice the pace of comparable economies”.
Littleproud said that while Australia should “live up to our commitments internationally,” climate adaptations should be done “sensibly”.
“We believe that we can peg ourselves to the rest of the world... we’re not going to streak ahead.”
He added that efforts should focus on “getting practical measures on the ground to address climate change”.
Liberals
The Liberal Party, which makes up the majority of the Coalition, is currently reviewing its energy policies.
Speaking to reporters in Canberra on Monday, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said she hopes to see the two parties “sitting down together” to develop a united position against what she described as the Government’s “train wreck energy policy”.
The Australian reported on Monday that Ley is considering not supporting net zero, citing Liberal Party sources.
