[New post] Is Australia back? – An overview of climate politics since 2022
Hasmukh Chand posted: " May 2022 marked a significant shift in Australia's political landscape. After a decade in opposition, the Labor Party won the Federal Election. Environmental activists seemed to collectively breathe a sigh of relief as one of the major obstacles to s" Conservation, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development
May 2022 marked a significant shift in Australia's political landscape. After a decade in opposition, the Labor Party won the Federal Election. Environmental activists seemed to collectively breathe a sigh of relief as one of the major obstacles to strong action on climate - the recalcitrant Liberal-National Coalition had finally been defeated. Many of the seats that were lost were gained by a new wave of Teal Independents (Liberal lite) who rode the wave of growing climate concerns into Federal Parliament. The Teal Independents, together with Federal Labor and the Greens now make up what many consider the most climate progressive Federal Parliament Australia has ever seen.
Indeed, many consider the 2022 election to be a 'climate election', which the Federal Labor has adopted as a mandate for strong action on climate. One of the first acts in Parliament by Federal Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen (Hon) was to increase Australia's national emissions reductions target from 26% to 43% by 2030 (compared to 2005 levels). A few months later, Minister Bowen announced in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly that "Australia is back" and that "no challenge is bigger than climate change and our respective governments are completely aligned in our approach to the biggest challenge facing us".
Aside from enshrining the new target, the Federal Government has been busy since taking office by announcing a raft of policies and measures to begin the decarbonisation of the national economy. Their Powering the Nation Plan includes a national electric vehicle strategy, a national climate and health strategy (both firsts for Australia), a national hydrogen strategy and boost to clean energy and manufacturing. Other 'nation building' policies include a $20 billion spend upgrading the national electricity infrastructure. Weak Coalition government policies such as the Safeguard Mechanism has also been strengthened to place a cap on emissions from 215 of the largest emitting facilities in the country as well.
As part of "Australia is back" Minister Bowen announced his administration's intentions to co-host a Conference of the Parties with the Pacific in 2026. This caught many in the environment movement off guard and now we wait with baited breath for Australia to formally win the bid and endorsement from the Pacific.
While the Government has been keeping busy over the past fifteen months, making progress on climate action, it also appears committed to maintaining Australia's status quo as a quarry economy that is heavily dependent on the fossil fuel industry. Perhaps Labor is still haunted by the ghost of the Rudd - Gillard years in mid 2000s when the fossil fuel industry flexed its might and deposed Australia's Prime Minister for introducing a carbon tax (helped in some parts by the environment movement). In essence then it can be argued that not much has changed with the change in government and the latest national emissions data seems to support this with greenhouse gas emissions increasing since the end of last year.
Australia has the highest per capita emissions in the G20 when it comes to coal mines. Since taking office Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek (Hons) has approved four new coal mines. This is despite the fact that she has pledged that "no new extinctions" will take place under her watch. Currently, over 100 more fossil fuel projects are in the pipeline awaiting assessment by the Minister during a period when the International Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency have unequivocally stated that there is no more room for new fossil fuel projects this decade if we are to have a strong change at limiting global temperature rise to 1.50C.
Not only has the Government been approving new mines, they have also maintained the $11 billion in subsidies enjoyed by the fossil fuel industry. Recently, the Government also handed out $1.5 billion towards the development of the Middle-Arm precinct in Darwin. If this project goes ahead, it will facilitate the opening up of large gas reserves such as the Beetaloo Basin. If the Beetaloo Basin is developed, it will blow Australia's carbon budget as well as risk the global 1.50C target.
To make matters worse, the Government is still allowing the most polluting industries to essentially greenwash their emissions reduction efforts. Both the Government and the fossil fuel industries are relying heavily on carbon offsets and carbon capture and storage to meet their respective 'net zero' pledges. Some fossil fuel companies, particularly those that mine and export gas, are evening promoting their products as being 'beneficial' for their downstream customers (in other words, their Scope 3 emissions may help these customers with reaching their own net zero pledges). This is reflected in the Government's "Future Gas Strategy'' which seeks to maintain if not scale up the Australian LNG exports to countries like Japan. The belief in the Department and within some Ministers seems to be that LNG can help countries reach their net zero targets. Indeed, to quote Minister Bowen from a recent community Assembly, we need to help "keep the lights on in Tokyo".
The hypocrisy and ad hoc approach to climate and energy policy now places the Albanese Government at risk from meeting its own targets. Both of the 43% emissions reduction by 2030 and of having 82% renewable energy penetration in the national electricity market (also by 2030). Climate and energy goals are further weakened by the Government being caught on the backfoot as countries like the United States introduce significantly large fiscal policies to accelerate the decarbonisation of their economies. The USA's Inflation Reduction Act for example plans to inject $520bn into renewable energy alone. Europe, Canada and other countries are spending big on national decarbonisation as well. The impact of these policies such as the slowing of large-scale renewable projects are already being felt in Australia as capital and skills flee overseas to greener pastures. At this stage, the Government appears reluctant to spend big here to shore up Australian clean industries.
May 2022 marked a considerable shift in the Australian political landscape and helped create one of the most climate progressive governments in more than a decade. And while Minister Bowen is right in stating that "Australia is back", there is significant work that needs to happen to shift the national economy to a truly clean economy. If the Government is truly committed to strong action on climate change, they should stop approving new fossil fuel projects and introduce policies to rapidly phase out exisiting mines while simultaneously ramping up clean energy.
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