Prime Minister Scott Morrison is under mounting pressure to commit to a net zero emissions target as Australia prepares for a key climate held by new US President Joe Biden this week.
But Labor climate spokesman Chris Bowen has accused Mr Morrison of making Australia an “outlier” on the world stage, as other countries prepared for the summit by ramping up their ambitions. Chris Bowen says ‘culture wars’ on climate change could harm Australian jobs in the long term. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye GerardLabor has committed to net zero by 2050 and has touted the potential for Australia to become a “clean energy superpower”, and Mr Bowen said Australia could miss out on that opportunity.
Mr Bowen said the rest of country, including the states and industries, were aiming for net zero by 2050 regardless of inaction from Canberra.“That comes at a cost because without the national framework, the policy framework to get to zero, we’re not … meeting the economic opportunity.”