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IGNORANT: The Morrison government is becoming one of the
most-reckless in Australia's history.
Picture: Shutterstock
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Author Dr John Hewson AM is an honorary professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, and is a former leader of the Liberal party. |
Since Morrison's appalling and embarrassing performance at Biden's virtual climate summit, in front of 39 other global leaders, the government has been doubling down in its intransigence.
This government, globally designated as a laggard on climate, is fast becoming the most radical and reckless in our history.
It ignores the science. It refuses to heed the warnings of global leaders such as Biden and Johnson.
It claims the mantle of "conservative", but readily ignores market forces and realities.
It easily sacrifices our national interest in its political expediency.
In doing so, it wastes enormous amounts of taxpayers' money, often to the benefit of its mates and financial supporters, stealing the future of our children.
The government cries are "technology not taxes" and brags that it is are "technology neutral" - which means it gives priority to yesterday's technologies for fossil fuel projects over new, world-leading, proven, lower emissions alternatives.
Just in recent days, we have seen Resources Minister Keith Pitt veto support from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund for a wind farm that had been recommended by the independent Board of NAIF, promising 250 jobs.
At the same time, Pitt is seeking to legislate himself even more power over NAIF and its investments.
Emissions Reductions Minister Angus Taylor has deliberately muddied the waters on electric vehicles, arguing against incentives and claiming, on the basis of misleading data, that hybrids are a more cost-effective means of emissions reductions.
He is doing all he can to delay the transition.
The government also committed, carte blanche, more than $2 billion to the last two oil refineries, even though it had committed a similar amount during the pandemic to keep four refineries open, only to see two close anyway.
This locks us into very dirty fuel for another seven years, fuel that won't Euro 6 emissions standards - the pollution from which kills many more people than the road toll annually.
This week, the government has approved $600 million in spending on a new gas-fired 660MW power plant in the Hunter (no link to the state by-election next weekend) - even though the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) had found that the closure of the Liddell coal-fired power plant would create a maximum shortage of just 154MW, and ignoring several cheaper alternatives, offering less emissions.
The proposed gas plant will be a stranded asset within a decade.
To add insult to injury, the government has awarded the project to Snowy Hydro, which is already wasting some $15-plus billion in developing Snowy Hydro 2.0, against a feasibility assessment that argues strongly against it and AEMO warning that it wouldn't be required until 2042.
The government also expanded the Australian Renewable Energy Agency's (ARENA) remit to fund carbon capture and storage projects, and possibly gas projects, following on from a budget commitment of some $264 million, and after governments of both colours have spent more than $1.3 billion achieving basically nothing.
And in the face of considerable evidence that it would require a sizeable carbon price for it ever to be commercially viable in power generation.
With the Abbott government having failed in its attempt to close down ARENA, the Morrison government is now driving it to support non-renewable, even fossil fuel, projects.
The government has committed more than $3 billion to fossil fuel projects this year alone, but only spent $30 million on battery and renewable energy projects.
Against all this, the International Energy Agency - traditionally more aligned with the fossil fuel industry - has this week released a report that directly challenges continued support for fossil fuels.
Indeed, it says no new fossil fuel projects should be approved beyond 2021.
The road map is comprehensive and achievable. Renewable energy should overtake coal by 2025, and oil and gas by 2030.
The energy transformation is to be based on solar, wind, bioenergy and hydrogen.
About 85 per cent of the required transition will be based on existing, proven technologies, and about 50 per cent to then reach net-zero 2050.
The report also calls for a rapid expansion of electric vehicles - 65 per cent of the global fleet by 2030, and 100 per cent by 2050.
It's time to stop digging, Mr Morrison - accept the climate imperatives and meet your responsibilities.
Links
- (AU Canberra Times) Australia Remains In A Climate Transition Muddle
- (AU) Wake Up, Mr Morrison: Australia’s Slack Climate Effort Leaves Our Children 10 Times More Work To Do
- (AU) The Verdict On Australia’s Emissions Targets: Catastrophic
- (AU) Our Survival As A Species Requires Urgent Action
- Australia, the climate laggard, could lead the world: over to you, PM
- Australia needs to cut emissions by at least 50% by 2030 to meet Paris goals, experts say
- Wake up, Mr Morrison: Australia’s slack climate effort leaves our children 10 times more work to do
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