Liberals to meet in nation’s capital for net-zero fight
Tess Ikonomou |
Liberal MPs will descend on Canberra as their divided party is poised to ditch its pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The Liberals’ formal position on the climate target will be finalised following mid-week meetings in the nation’s capital, with the party to negotiate a single policy with the Nationals in the days to follow.
Infighting over the issue has intensified, placing further pressure on Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s leadership since the Nationals announced their position ahead of their coalition colleagues.
Liberal frontbencher and moderate Andrew Bragg on Sunday flagged he would be open to quitting the shadow cabinet if his party decided it would pull out of international climate change treaty the Paris Agreement.
He reaffirmed his support for lowering emissions, saying there could not be a “fatwa” on words – referring to net zero.
“I don’t imagine that we would ever leave Paris. I mean, we’re a party of government … we’re not fringe dwellers,” he told the ABC’s Insiders.
“Most Australians want us to play our fair role in terms of emissions reduction.”
Under the Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, members are required to increase their emissions targets every five years and cannot water down their goals.
Amid speculation another Liberal might follow suit, moderates are attempting to hammer out a deal that stays within the Paris Agreement and keeps some form of commitment to net zero, even if the initial 2050 deadline is dropped.
Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan, a self-described conservationist, said the review process had to run its course, and his party would soon have a position to negotiate with the National Party.
The long-awaited review, led by opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan, will be thrashed out during a meeting of Liberal politicians on Wednesday.
Mr Tehan said subsidies could be offered to keep current coal-fired power plants operating for longer, and would be discussed at the meeting.
Asked if the opposition would back financial support for coal plants, he said it was crucial to work with the states to ensure the energy source remained in the mix to bring power prices down.
Former prime minister Scott Morrison committed the coalition to the net-zero emissions target in 2021.
AAP
