---
title: Lump of coal PM spruiks economic benefits of climate action
description: The PM is desperately trying to assure reluctant Nats that net zero by 2050 is a winner for the economy despite years of railing against climate action.
---
[](https://www.greenpeace.org.au)
[](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy)
The Canopy is a weekday morning email newsletter provided by the team at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
# Lump of coal PM spruiks economic benefits of climate action
Wednesday, 20 October 2021
The PM is desperately trying to assure reluctant National Party members that most of what the Coalition has been saying on the cost of climate action for years is rubbish and that net zero by 2050 is actually a winner for the economy. With the clock rapidly ticking towards the Glasgow, the Morrison Government is still furiously debating amongst itself on what policies it will take to the most important climate meeting in years.
A Federal Court judge appears to be paving the way to overturn the ruling that the Australian environment minister has a duty of care to protect children from the impacts of climate change.
And more than 14,000 species of invertebrate lost habitat during Australia’s 2019-20 bushfires.
[PM assures net zero an economic positive as Nats debate coal price](https://app.meltwater.com/mwTransition/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brisbanetimes.com.au%2Fpolitics%2Ffederal%2Fpm-assures-net-zero-an-economic-positive-as-nats-debate-coal-price-20211019-p591cm.html&uId=5a778e7a00aa2026a265262c&cId=5a71496272d9dc241933e61d&contextId=616f1626fcf5414c744bd900&dId=UTgfrlR6Mdv5Mv_A23WJgx74NN0&op=open&sentiment=N&isHosted=false&id=3628643&name=Coal%20(Print%20and%20Online)&type=search&transitionToken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJob3N0bmFtZSI6Ind3dy5icmlzYmFuZXRpbWVzLmNvbS5hdSJ9.Q8Ey-mPNLMwLmFbh44eEcZ0Fhfq1qwkEYqP28x62XOaAoUdJdxVqRmR40OYw1PV5rKtaXnk0t55qzLKAWeN7vA&s=mail-digest)
Nationals MPs are being told a federal plan to slash carbon emissions to net zero levels by 2050 will deliver a “great positive” for the economy despite new modelling that shows a hit to coal prices from global action on climate change.
[Lack of support for emissions reduction target will ‘punish farmers’, NFF tells Nationals](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/20/lack-of-support-for-emissions-reduction-target-will-punish-farmers-nff-tells-nationals)
The National Farmers’ Federation has made a final pitch to the National party to support a net zero emissions reduction target before Scott Morrison heads to Glasgow, telling MPs that failure to do so could “punish farmers” as the rest of the world decarbonises.
[Australian environment minister has ‘almost no control’ over global emissions, court told](https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/australian-environment-minister-has-almost-no-control-over-global-emissions-court-told/news-story/1a28f99b3e48dbc4c2bd9be335d53cdc?btr=1fbeb0df77651b2a4d38c86107fee3c1)
A judge drastically overstated how much control the Australian environment minister has over the extent to which climate change ravages the planet and its people in coming decades, a court has been told.
[‘Overlooked’: 14,000 invertebrate species lost habitat in Black Summer bushfires, study finds](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/20/overlooked-14000-invertebrate-species-lost-habitat-in-black-summer-bushfires-study-finds)
More than 14,000 species of invertebrate lost habitat during Australia’s 2019-20 bushfires, according to a post-fire analysis that has recommended a doubling of the number of species listed as threatened.
[Deadly ‘ghost nets’ increase in Gulf of Carpentaria despite years of clean-ups](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/20/deadly-ghost-nets-increase-in-gulf-of-carpentaria-despite-years-of-clean-ups)
Targeted action is needed to combat the growing issue of “ghost nets” in the Gulf of Carpentaria with aerial surveys conducted between 2004 and 2020 revealing a jump in the number of ghost nets along the gulf coastline despite years of clean-up efforts.
[Stunningly cheap solar to power China’s pivot away from coal](https://reneweconomy.com.au/stunningly-cheap-solar-to-power-chinas-pivot-away-from-coal/)
Plunging costs of solar and battery technologies could underpin China’s pivot away from coal, with new research showing that by 2060 almost half of China’s electricity needs could be supplied by super cheap solar power, helping the world’s largest emitter achieve its decarbonisation goals.
[energy policy](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/energy-policy), [climate change](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/climate-change), [COP26](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/cop26)
### Will you share with your friends?
[Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/lump-of-coal-pm-spruiks-economic-benefits-of-climate-action%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [Share on Whatsapp](whatsapp://send?text=Check%20out%20this%20thing%20from%20Greenpeace!%20https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/lump-of-coal-pm-spruiks-economic-benefits-of-climate-action%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dwhatsapp) [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/lump-of-coal-pm-spruiks-economic-benefits-of-climate-action%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/lump-of-coal-pm-spruiks-economic-benefits-of-climate-action%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=)
[Go to the website](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)
## More news
### [As waves pound Australia's coast, climate spending is washed away](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/as-waves-pound-australias-coast-climate-spending-is-washed-away)
Waves pounded the east coast over the weekend, hitting homes, washing away beaches and even...
### [Dockers continue gas sponsorship despite climate change impacts](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/dockers-continue-gas-sponsorship-despite-climate-change-impacts)
Prominent climate scientist Bill Hare has expressed his shock and dismay at the Fremantle Dockers...
### [No Pacific climate change initiatives in Australia’s 2023 budget](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/no-pacific-climate-change-initiatives-in-australias-2023-budget)
The largest Pacific commitment made by Australia during its budget announcement on Tuesday was a...
Work like this is only made possible by our supporters. Greenpeace accepts NO government funding or corporate donations to remain impartial. To amplify meaningful climate activism in Australia, ***become a regular giver today.***
[Donate to Support Greenpeace](https://donate.greenpeace.org.au/)
[](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)
Connect with us
**Call:** [1800 815 151](tel:1800815151)
Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders — past, present and future — and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia, the environmental movement and the Greenpeace crew.
© Greenpeace 2026. [Privacy Policy.](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/privacy-policy/)