PM Scott Morrison sets out "a uniquely Australian way" of meeting climate commitments
Leading global coal and gas supplier Australia has pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison however said the plan would not include ending Australia's fossil fuel sectors.
The nation will also not set ambitious targets for 2030 - an objective of next month's COP26 global climate summit.
His plan has drawn criticism, with Murdoch University fire ecology expert Joe Fontaine saying it had "all the strength of a wet paper bag".
Australia has long dragged its heels on climate action. It is one of the dirtiest countries per head of population and a massive global supplier of fossil fuels.
Strategic allies the US and UK have both pledged to cut emissions faster. The UK has pledged that all its electricity will come from renewable sources by 2035, while the US has announced plans to halve its emissions by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.
"We won't be lectured by others who do not understand Australia. The Australian Way is all about how you do it, and not if you do it. It's about getting it done," Mr Morrison wrote in a newspaper column on Tuesday.
To halt the worst effects of climate change, nations have pledged to limit rising temperatures to 1.5C by 2050.
This requires cutting emissions by 45% by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050, scientists say. Over 100 nations have committed to carbon neutrality.
Net zero means not adding to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It is achieved by a combination of cutting emissions as much as possible - mainly by reducing gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), which are released in the use of fossil fuels - and so-called offsetting measures, such as planting trees and carbon-capture technology.
What has Australia promised?
Mr Morrison announced an investment of more than A$20bn (£11bn; $15bn) in "low-emissions technologies" over the next 20 years - such as efforts to capture carbon in soil, lower solar energy costs, and developing greener industries.
But Australia will also use more gas, at least in the short term. Most controversially, there is no plan to limit fossil fuels.
"We want our heavy industries, like mining, to stay open, remain competitive and adapt, so they remain viable for as long as global demand allows," Mr Morrison wrote.
Australia's 2030 commitment will remain a 26% cut on 2005 emissions. It is currently on track for a 30-35% reduction, the government said.
While the 2050 pledge has been widely welcomed, the government has been ferociously criticised for not offering more details.
Australia's Climate Council think tank said it was "a joke without strong emissions cuts this decade".
Many said the government has been too slow on climate action, despite seeing first-hand impacts such as bushfires, floods and drought.
"The word plan doesn't constitute a plan no matter how many times you say it," said Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.
Analysis
Shaimaa Khalil, Australia Correspondent
Scott Morrison's announcement is worth noting not because it offers anything different to other countries, but because of how late to the party Australia is!
This announcement took months of political wrangling and was left down to the wire with days before the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
That the government had to make political concessions to its junior coalition partner - the National Party - shows you how complicated and politically divisive climate action is in Australia.
The Nationals represent electorates in regional areas where most high-emission industries like coal mining are based. After days of toing and froing, they backed the 'process'.
The prime minister assured Australians the target will not mean paying more for their energy bills. "Technology not taxes," he said.
He addressed regional Australians directly and said the plan won't involve shutting down coal and gas production or exports. He talked about billions of dollars invested in low-emission technologies. The government's plan would "strike a balance", Mr Morrison said.
But he failed to explain how this balance will be struck. How the government will square keeping its coal industry, for example, and reaching net zero by 2050 - and what role technology will play in all of that. Especially when Canberra won't budge on its much-criticised 2030 targets.
While this is a big moment for Australia, the details are still murky and potentially problematic on how net zero will be achieved.
Links
- Why Australia refuses to give up coal
- Climate action is still hotly contested in Australia
- (AU ABC) Government Promises To Cut Emissions To Reach Net Zero By 2050 Under New Climate Change Plan
- Australia's big miners have already left the government behind on climate change
- The Nationals are at a pivotal moment and Barnaby Joyce may never again be this powerful
- Net zero idea what's going on with Australia's climate targets? Here's the breakdown
- Why is the pressure being piled on Australia to do more on climate change?
- (AU SBS) Queensland Backs Net Zero By 2050 As Pressure Mounts On Scott Morrison
- (AU The Guardian) The Frenetic Fan Dance Of The Fools Tells Us The Coalition Has Reached Crunch Time On Climate
- (AU AFR) Australia’s Business Leaders Tell PM How To Hit Net Zero By 2050
- (AU New Daily) Road To Net Zero: What The Rest Of The World Thinks About Australia’s Climate Policy
- (AU The Guardian) NSW Environment Minister Urges Moderate Liberals To Push The Party Harder On Net Zero
- (AU SMH) While The 2050 Battle Rages In Australia, The World Is Talking 2030
- Australia needs to aim for net zero by 2035 to avoid climate catastrophe
- As the world gets ambitious, Morrison get defensive
- Help regional towns or watch them die, Bowen says
- The big problem with the government's climate change programs
- Halving emissions the 'least' Australia can do, IPCC vice-chair says
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