Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt has warned that achieving net zero emissions by 2050 while opening new coal mines will not save us from the climate emergency, and called on Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison to commit to a strong 2030 target and a plan to phase out coal.
Today, Labor Leader Anthony Albanese committed the party to a target of net zero emissions by 2050, however he refused to indicate a 2030 target or commit to concrete steps to cut pollution and tackle the climate crisis.
Adam Bandt MP said:
“The science is clear. ‘Net-zero by 2050’ alone blows the Paris climate target of staying well below 2 degrees. Net-zero by 2050 is walking away from Paris.
“Without urgent action, scientists have us on track to hit a catastrophic 1.5 degrees as soon as 2030 and 2 degrees could follow soon after.
“We are in a climate emergency and what matters most is what we do in the next decade, not in 30 years’ time.
“We are on the edge of catastrophic climate tipping points and the science is calling for deep cuts right now and zero emissions no later than 2040.
“A target for 30 years’ time doesn’t mean much if we continue to open new coal mines and export coal. If you don’t have a plan to phase out coal and gas you don’t have a real plan for the climate crisis.
“Coal is the real climate test for Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese and so far they are both failing.
“Labor and Liberal both support new coal mines and Labor has just approved fracking in the Betaloo basin, which is a bigger climate bomb than Adani.
“Scott Morrison has us on track for a catastrophic 3 degrees of global warming, but if Anthony Albanese wants to be a climate leader rather than a climate fraud, he needs a strong target for 2030 and a plan to phase out coal and gas.”
