Chris Bowen, the Minister for Energy, said Peter Dutton’s plan to scrap Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target would be a “wreck ball” for the country’s relations with its international partners.
Dutton has said that if he wins the next election, he would remove Labor’s legislated target of reducing emissions by 43 percent by 2030.
He also wants to focus on nuclear energy.
The decision would put Australia at odds with its international commitments under the 2015 Paris Treaty, which committed almost 200 nations to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr Bowen warned that a weakened target could put the country at a disadvantage with other nations and the Pacific Island states.
Despite not being able to speak for the leaders of the Pacific nations, Mr Bowen noted that if Australia decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, it would have a significant impact on the region’s relations.
He said that the country’s relationship with the US was also affected by the agreement.
When it comes to foreign policy, Mr Bowen noted that Peter Dutton would be a “wrecking ball” for the country.
Under the Paris Agreement, countries excluding Iran, Yemen, and Libya promised to limit the increase of global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
According to experts, if the world’s temperatures go beyond the 1.5 degrees Celsius mark, the effects of severe weather conditions such as drought, heatwaves, and floods will become unmanageable.
After the Labor Party was elected in 2022, Anthony Albanese set the country’s emissions reduction target to 43 percent by 2030.
During an interview on Saturday, Mr Dutton said that signing up to the target was not feasible.
According to projections, Australia has already fallen short of its emissions reduction objective by about 43 percent.
However, Mr Bowen noted that it was still possible to achieve the target.
The cabinet will soon consider the advice of the Climate Change Authority regarding the country’s emissions target in 2035, as mandated by the Paris agreement.
He also noted that the government would comply with the February deadline.
The three state governments of Queensland, NSW, and Victoria have already set their own targets for reducing emissions in the next couple of years.
David Coleman, a spokesperson for the opposition, said on Sunday that the party would unveil its alternative plan to the government’s 2030 target in the coming weeks.
He noted that the party was committed to the Paris agreement and was also planning on setting more targets before the election.