27/10/2021

(AU BBC) Climate Change: Australia Pledges Net Zero Emissions By 2050

BBC

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.


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(AU ABC) Government Promises To Cut Emissions To Reach Net Zero By 2050 Under New Climate Change Plan

ABC News - Georgia Hitch

Scott Morrison commits to reducing Australia's carbon emissions to net zero by 2050

Key Points
  • The plan relies on investment in a range of "low emissions" technologies and "ultra-low-cost" solar
  • Australia is on track to cut emissions by 30 to 35 per cent by 2030
  • The government estimates the plan will create 62,000 jobs in regional mining and heavy industry
Australia has joined the world in promising to make the nation carbon-neutral by 2050, ahead of a global climate change summit.


They include soil carbon sequestration — where carbon is removed from the atmosphere and stored in soil — carbon capture and storage (CCS), production of low-emissions steel, and other ways to reduce energy use.

The plan also includes using "clean hydrogen" to lower fuel emissions and a "new priority" for the government to deliver "ultra-low-cost solar" power below $15 per megawatt-hour.

Hydrogen is seen by the government as a potentially zero-emission fuel, but getting it in a pure and useable form involves processes that can produce a lot of emissions.

Only "green" hydrogen is produced entirely through renewable power and has zero emissions. The government's plan for "clean hydrogen" will see fuel made using both renewables and energy from gas.

As for CCS, while the government believes real progress is being made on the technologies involved, many climate scientists believe it is not a serious alternative to wind and solar power.

The Climate Council has said using it would be an attempt to prolong the use of fossil fuels.

A comparison of production process for the "blue" and "green" types of hydrogen.(Supplied: Woodside)
The combination of the government's selected technologies is expected to reduce emissions by 85 per cent, with the remaining 15 per cent to be achieved through future technologies.

"That 15 per cent will come from the evolution and momentum that is generated by those earlier technological developments," Mr Morrison said.

However, unlike the existing commitment to cut emissions by 2030, the net zero by 2050 target will not be enshrined in law.

Mr Morrison has previously said reducing emissions relied on technology and not "political commitments".

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese criticised the plan, saying it contained no new policies.

"Scott Morrison left it to the last possible minute to outline a scam that leaves everything to the last possible minute," he said.

"The word plan doesn't constitute a plan, no matter how often [Mr Morrison] said it.

"As always, with this Prime Minister, it is all about marketing."

Shadow Energy Minister Chris Bowen said he had  "seen more detail in fortune cookies".

"It requires leadership and detailed plans but all we have today was the slides, slogans and not solutions," he said.

On track to beat 2030 target, PM says

The latest projections show Australia is on track to cut emissions by 30 to 35 per cent by 2030.

However, Mr Morrison said the formal target of a 26 to 28 per cent reduction would remain unchanged.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor said the jump in forecast emissions reductions was in large part because of the "rapid" uptake of solar energy.

"We are world leaders in solar," he said.

"One in four houses [have it]. No other country in the world is at that level."

"We have seen extraordinary investments, world-beating investments in renewables increasingly dominated by solar in the last couple of years, and that has played an important role."

Mr Taylor said improving energy efficiency and changes to land use in agricultural areas were the other major factors behind the 2030 improvement. 

Mr Morrison will attend the United Nations COP26 climate conference in Glasgow next week where he will confirm the government's net zero position.

The government's plan forecasts emissions reductions across multiple industries. (Supplied: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources)
Government says jobs will be created in mining, heavy industry

The plan came after the Nationals confirmed they would give "in-principle" support to the target earlier this week, after lengthy negotiations. 




As part of the deal to secure the Nationals support, the Productivity Commission will review the new plan every five years to measure the impact reducing emissions has on regional communities.

"That will monitor the impact, the socio-economic impact, of our plans into the future," Mr Morrison said.

"So I can say to rural and regional Australians this is a good plan for you. It's a good plan for all Australians."

Mr Taylor said the plan reflected the fact that customer and investor demands were changing and the government needed to adapt to meet those needs.

He described the plan as an "actively achievable pathway".

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(AU Climate Council) Half Baked: Net Zero Announcement Missing Rapid Emission Cuts

Climate Council


A NATIONAL net zero target is long overdue, and must be accompanied by accelerated action to deeply cut emissions this decade so Australians can reap the economic benefits of a global transformation, says the Climate Council. 

The net zero by 2050 announcement, and an indication that Australia may exceed its weak 2030 emissions target by reaching ‘up to 35% below 2005 levels’, means Australia remains dead last among comparable nations on climate action.

Climate Council CEO, Amanda McKenzie: “The Federal government has now cemented the commitments from all state governments, putting Australia on a path to phase out coal, oil and gas pollution. 

“Net zero by 2050 is a joke without strong emissions cuts this decade. Australia desperately needs to dramatically scale up renewable energy, phase out coal and gas and electrify our transport systems. Otherwise we miss out on the economic opportunities of the global transition and expose ourselves to the fire, flood and heat risks of climate change,” said Amanda McKenzie who has attended three previous COPs. 

Ahead of major UN talks to be held in Glasgow from October 31, Australia is under massive international pressure to do more, with the threat of carbon border tariffs hanging over our economy. Australians are already being harmed by climate change, from massive fires to sea level rise, which will continue to worsen under accelerating climate change.

Climate Councillor and Emeritus Professor at Australian National University, Professor Will Steffen: “To achieve net zero and help avoid catastrophic climate change, the federal government must take rapid and concrete steps to cut emissions deeply this decade, starting with an end to all new coal or gas projects. 

“All gas and coal expansion must stop, and we need to move away from existing fossil fuel use as quickly as possible. Any climate commitment should be judged against this measure. Australia remains one of the only advanced economies that hasn’t offered up a new, higher target for 2030 emission cuts — despite clear requests for this from UN officials,” said Professor Steffen. 

The Climate Council recommends that Australia reduce its emissions by 75% (below 2005 levels) by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2035. This is based on rigorous scientific risk assessments.

“As a first step, Australia must at least match the updated commitments from our key allies, and pledge before Glasgow to at least halve our emissions (below 2005 levels) by 2030,” said Professor Steffen. 

Climate Councillor, and leading Australian economist, Nicki Hutley: “It’s in Australia’s clear economic interests to act swiftly and decisively on climate change; new industries will bring billions of dollars of economic opportunities. We can’t rely on unproven technologies like carbon capture and storage.”

“As one of the sunniest and windiest countries on earth, Australia has unrivalled potential for renewable energy, clean industries, and clean jobs,” she said. 

“The regions have the most to lose from worsening extreme weather events and the most to gain from harnessing new industries. A 2050 plan is too late, we need action now to avoid missing out on the opportunities for regional Australia of renewables,” said Ms Hutley. 

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