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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison
Photo: DEAN LEWINS / EPA
Australia is the second largest coal exporter in the world, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced plans to bring CO₂ emissions to zero by 2050. The head of government does not want to stipulate this in law. He agreed on this with Morrison and coalition partner NPA. The National Party of Australia is a proponent of the coal industry and in return receives another post in the cabinet. On Monday, Morrison spoke out in favor of preserving mining and heavy industry.
Morrison announced his plan shortly before the start of the world climate summit COP, which is taking place in Glasgow.
He wants to be re-elected next year.
According to a new poll, he is threatened with defeat.
While the rural population rejects measures to reduce emissions, other parts of the population are calling for more climate and environmental protection.
According to experts, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 is considered to be crucial in order to take timely action against the climate crisis.
Opposition speaks of "fraud"
The opposition massively criticized the premier's announcement. "The word plan is not a plan, no matter how often you say it," said Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Morrison only sketched the "mood" of a climate policy that had no new obligations. Labor demonized Morrison's proposal as a "fraud" which lacked substance and criticized the government for its decision not to publish details of the agreement with the NPA. The Australian Climate Council think tank called Morrison's announcement a "joke."
The goal of climate neutrality by 2050 is to be achieved, among other things, by lowering the costs of hydrogen and "ultra-cheap" solar energy and long-term storage.
"We are front runners in the world when it comes to solar power," said Energy Secretary Angus Taylor.
A quarter of all houses already get their electricity from solar energy.
"No other country is at this level."
The planned reduction targets by 2030 would not be tightened any further, said Morrison.
These provide for emissions to be reduced by 26 to 28 percent compared to 2005 levels by then.
The latest forecasts showed that Australia was well on the way to reducing emissions by as much as 30 to 35 percent by 2030, it said.
At the COP in Glasgow it will be discussed how the goal formulated in Paris in 2015 of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees as possible compared to pre-industrial times can be achieved.
To this end, all countries should draw up action plans.
However, many countries are still lacking or not going far enough.
Morrison had left it open for weeks whether he would even go to the climate summit and only confirmed his participation in mid-October.
as / Reuters / dpa