Net-zero detail: wishful thinking, offsets underpin Morrison climate plan

After a lengthy public spat, the Morrison Government has declared a ceasefire in the war with itself and announced it will take a pledge of net-zero emissions by 2050 to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

Make no mistake, this is not a moment for celebration. Morrison’s climate “plan” appears to be to sit back and let others do the work of actually reducing emissions, slapping a “net-zero” sticker on the government’s current pathetic climate efforts, which are based on repackaged state commitments, fantasy, and unverified projections.

Crucially, Morrison will not lift Australia’s pathetic 26-28 percent 2030 emissions target, the key ask of world leaders at COP26. It’s no wonder the plan has already been labelled a “joke”, “a scam” and “a con”.  

“A joke:” Morrison’s net zero plan has net zero detail, and no change to policies

The Morrison government has unveiled its “plan” for achieving net zero emissions by 2050 that includes no new policies, no changes to Australia’s 2030 target, and is predicated on unspecified technology breakthroughs and could result in Australia spending billions on international offsets.

Angus Taylor reveals trade-offs with Nationals for net zero support not yet approved by cabinet

Australia’s energy and emissions reduction minister, Angus Taylor, has signalled some of the trade-offs the Nationals sought from the Liberals in return for formally supporting a net zero by 2050 target have not yet been approved by the cabinet.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison yields little but wins little in getting Coalition's net zero support

The Coalition's negotiated climate plan is a novel sort of quid pro quo: Both sides have little to show for their efforts and, oddly enough, they'll both be satisfied coming away with next to nothing.

World faces disastrous 2.7C temperature rise on current climate plans, UN warns

The world is squandering the opportunity to “build back better” from the Covid-19 pandemic, and faces disastrous temperature rises of at least 2.7C if countries fail to strengthen their climate pledges, according to a report from the UN.

Rising sea levels push Torres Strait Islanders Paul and Pabai to take legal action against the Australian government

For Paul Kabai and Pabai Pabai, climate change is a daily reality creeping ever higher at their Torres Strait doorstep. Rising sea waters on their islands have pushed them to take an extraordinary step: The pair has just launched legal action against the federal government, in a case never before seen in the Australian courts.

NSW environmental offsets to be reformed after ‘appalling practices’ revealed, minister says

There should be a major reform of New South Wales’ environmental offsetting schemes following a Guardian Australia investigation that revealed “appalling practices”, the state’s environment minister, Matt Kean, has said.