As the debate about the Coalition’s seriousness about delivering on the 2050 net zero emissions target intensifies. That’s left Deputy Leader Sussan Ley caught between a rock and hard place. As factions within the party grapple with differing views on climate policy, Ley finds herself navigating a fractured landscape that could significantly impact the Coalition’s future stance on environmental issues.
Ley is coming into more pressure from all party wings. Yet here they are proposing motions to completely back away from the most ambitious target, saying it’s too far away and it can’t be done. The Western Australian Liberal state council is preparing for a fiery debate. Instead, they are planning to vote on a motion to abandon the net zero commitment altogether. At the same time, the Queensland LNP party room is due to reconsider its support for the target next month.
This internal conflict exposes a much deeper schism within the Coalition. On one side, moderate members focus on urban seats and try to attract younger and more diverse voters, while right-wing caucuses indicate the party’s conservative grassroots. Barnaby Joyce has tabled a private member’s bill to repeal Australia’s commitment to net zero. This latest move puts Ley in a very tough spot.
Indeed, emerging as a major party voice of dissent within the Coalition, Opposition Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has railed against the net zero target on multiple occasions. He remarked, “Well, I have real concerns about it, to be candid. What net zero has become is about trying to achieve the impossible, rather than doing what’s sensible.” This impression strikes a chord with a number of members who ask how realistic it is to stick with such a far-fetched goal.
Recent actions have shown that all is not lost and some members are looking for other options. One piece of advice is don’t scrap the net zero. By lengthening its time horizon, we’ll have more time to come at the emissions reductions from a more comprehensive and holistic angle. Despite being one of the most promising proposals, it has not yet generated significant momentum from party insiders.
In South Australia, the state Liberal council just a couple weeks ago voted this down – rejected the net zero target. This ruling indicates the continued move among local branches to disavow national promises. This decision illustrates the remarkable degree to which regional politics can shape national policy. It further makes Ley’s task of trying to maintain party unity a difficult one.
At the same time, Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, is taking bold, ambitious steps on the climate front. To complement the UN process, he is currently organizing two preliminary roundtables, the first on electricity and the second on climate adaptation. Bowen acknowledges the urgency of climate action, stating that it “will be an increasing focus of this government and future governments because, tragically, the world has left it too late to avoid the impacts of climate change.”
Bowen is yet to receive formal advice on the net zero target from the Climate Change Authority. Despite much talk about it, that guidance has not materialized. The federal government is looking forward to hearing in favour of Australia’s bid to host next year’s UN climate conference. Such an event could greatly influence the public debate and energize the political discussion in favor of sound climate policy.
The net zero commitment debate in Australia raises further questions. Is such a long-term target realistic and reasonable? While some party members advocate for a reevaluation of their stance, others remain steadfast in their belief that climate action is essential for Australia’s global standing.
Simon Stiell emphasized this need for proactive measures by stating, “The world needs countries like Australia to take climate action and ambition to the next level, and it’s firmly in the interests of every Australian that they do so.” His remarks point to the growing bilateral and multilateral pressure Australia is feeling as it tries to balance its international environmental obligations.
Internal debates within the $150 billion-dollar Coalition are starting to simmer. The fate of Australia’s net zero target is in the balance. To navigate these pressures and deliver an effective oppositional climate leadership, Sussan Ley will have to work hard to get her own party on side.
