Shorten promises zero emissions climate change policy for Australia under Labor government
Australia will aim for an ambitious net zero pollution target by 2050 under a Labor elected government, Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten has declared.
The announcement came as Shorten also criticised Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ahead of the United Nations Climate Summit for “flying to Paris carrying Tony Abbott’s climate-sceptic baggage.”
Speaking on Friday during a press conference at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney, Shorten stated that Labor believed zero emissions by 2050 was a challenging but realistic target based on an initial 45 percent decrease by 2030.
“Stopping global warming means stopping new pollution. If we are to meet the global target of two degrees, we must reach a point where we are not adding pollution to the atmosphere,” he said.
“Only Labor will cut pollution through the best available pathways and with the most economically efficient methods. We will support a pledge and review process every five years, helping Australia track out commitments in response to international action.”
When asked how Labor planned on achieving its target goal, Shorten responded saying his party would not enforce carbon taxes, but rather implement economically efficient renewable energy policies and an international emission trading scheme.
“We have set a substantial renewable goal of 50 percent of our energy mix to be derived from renewable sources by 2030. We will transform our energy markets to cleaner more efficient sources,” he stated.
“Only Labor will build an internationally linked emissions trading scheme underpinned by a carbon reduction target. We will create new opportunities for Australian firms to trade and engage with other emissions trading scheme jurisdictions.”
The Opposition Leader then went on to criticise PM Turnbull for not making changes to Tony Abbott’s policy on climate change, a 26 to 28 percent reduction by 2030, ahead of the UN Climate Summit in Paris.
“Mr Turnbull promotes a policy he doesn’t believe”, Shorten argued.
“If Malcolm Turnbull was still a backbencher he would say the Liberal targets are not good enough, yet he is flying to Paris carrying Tony Abbott’s climate-sceptic baggage. Although he won the leadership vote in the party room, Tony Abbott has won the climate policy debate in the Liberal Party.”
The Opposition leader finished by admitting that Labor’s proposal to cut emissions completely was an ambitious policy, but stressed that regardless of the cost Australia had too much to lose if it did not act now.
“Let me remind you what the cost of not acting is. The extreme weather, ocean acidification, the impact on agriculture, personal insurance and the tourism industry. It’s a pretty big cost,” he said.
“Australia cannot afford climate change, no nation on earth can. It’s just reality and we all have an obligation to act.”
Prior to Shorten’s speech, Lowy Institute Executive Director Michael Fullilove stated that a recent field study led by the organisation had found that 62 percent of Australians believe the Liberal government should strengthen its stance towards climate change.
This announcement will no doubt put pressure on Prime Minister Turnbull as he lays out Australia’s current climate policy plans to world leaders in Paris at the United Nations Climate Summit, which runs from November 30 to December 11.
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