Net zero by 2050 ‘just ideology’: Scott Morrison

4 hours ago 3

Scott Morrison, the former prime minister who committed Australia to a net zero emissions target by 2050, has declared the pledge is “just ideology” as the Coalition debates the merits of retaining or ditching the international commitment.

Morrison’s pronouncement is a significant political signal to the Coalition, with the former PM a member of the same Liberal Party faction as Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. His declaration follows a stronger denouncement by former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, who signed up to the net zero emissions target alongside Morrison.

Some of Ley’s more moderate allies want to retain the 2050 target to appeal to the urban voters who deserted the Coalition at the past two elections, while others argue the 2050 deadline imposes unacceptable costs on the economy.

“Net zero at any cost on any rigid timetable is not policy, it’s just ideology,” Morrison said in a post on LinkedIn.

The Albanese government has legislated a commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 as part of Australia’s commitment under the Paris Agreement, and set an interim target to cut emissions by at least 62 per cent by 2035.

Independent analysts have found the government’s plan to cut emissions at least 62 per cent by 2035 will leave the nation short of the goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees that climate scientists have warned is needed to avert catastrophic global warming. They have concluded that weaker targets will lead to an even worse outcome.

Morrison’s language echoes that of Ley and most other Coalition MPs who warn of the costs of Labor’s legislated 2050 deadline. However, they want to remove the target from legislation but retain the aspiration to achieve net zero.

Morrison signed off on Australia’s first net zero pledge in October 2021, along with then Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, before the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow and the 2022 federal election.

However, he said that much has changed since 2021, with the rise in artificial intelligence and data centres driving investment into energy generation. He also said the election of anti-renewables US President Donald Trump had reduced the risk that funds would dry up if Australia did not match the US climate commitment under their former administration.

“In 2021, we were also facing a potential capital strike on Australia from overseas investors as they responded to US policy under President Biden,” Morrison said.

“Private capital, not politics, was always going to be the answer. This remains the sensible approach.”

The Liberal and Nationals parties are currently conducting separate reviews of net zero.

As first reported by this masthead, the Liberals are heading towards a policy of removing the 2050 date from legislation to make it aspirational and exempting heavy industries.

However, some moderates want to retain the target. Liberal moderate and shadow housing minister Andrew Bragg said “you’ve got to keep net zero”.

“There’s an ability there for the Coalition to do this much better than Labor,” Bragg told the ABC on Wednesday. “I think we could do net zero better than Labor in terms of emissions and cost and environmental protection.”

The Nationals review is expected to deliver a more hardline rejection, with the process led by fossil-fuel advocate Senator Matt Canavan.

Canavan declared during the 2022 election campaign that net zero was “dead” due to waning international support, but Morrison rejected his claim at the time.