Monash University
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today announced the Federal Government has set a national target to reduce emissions by 62 to 70 per cent below 2005 levels by 2035.
Shreejan Pandey, Director, Monash Energy Institute Energy transition
- Investment in energy infrastructure, energy research, development, training and entrepreneurship
- Energy reliability, access and resilience
Mr Pandey:
“The government’s additional funding to support Australia’s Net Zero Plan is a welcome development. For the plan to be successful the government also needs to match that support with equivalent R&D investment to support the realisation of the clean energy transition.
“Public investment in energy research has more than halved over the past decade, placing us well behind most other OECD countries.
“Research plays a crucial role in productivity, economic activity and better living standards for all Australians. It’s essential that research investment keeps pace with the deployment of critical infrastructure.”
Dr Zareh Ghazarian, Head of Politics and International Relations Discipline, Monash School of Social Sciences
- Political parties, leadership and public policy
- Politics and the media
- Political and civil education
Dr Ghazarian:
“Politically, the issue of climate policy has been very difficult for major parties over the last 20 years as they have sought to balance economic and environmental interests. The issue was also at the core of destabilising prime ministers. Kevin Rudd’s initial time as prime minister was marred by the ill-fated Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, while Julia Gillard’s carbon pricing approach was the subject of vigorous resistance from Tony Abbott’s opposition.
“The debate in 2025 can be just as perilous for major party leaders. The government’s target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions has been announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as being at the optimal level to maintain economic development while protecting the natural environment. It’s attracted criticism from some for not being strong enough.
“The more significant political challenge now, however, is for the Coalition. The Liberal and National parties seem to have deep divisions regarding how to best approach climate policy. For Sussan Ley, maintaining unity within the party during this period may just be the moment that defines her leadership.”
Anna Skarbek AM, Chief Executive of Monash University’s Climateworks Centre
- Reducing emissions at scale
- Energy transition
- Industrial and place-based transitions and co-investment approaches to decarbonisation
Skarbek:
“The 2035 target has been set with six sector plans to guide the way forward. History shows Australia has consistently met and exceeded emissions reduction targets, and our research shows the technologies are there to overachieve again. What matters now is ensuring implementation of the six sector plans enables maximum benefits along the way.”
Dr Ella Vines, Research Fellow at Monash Business School’s Impact Labs
Dr Vines:
“The Australian Government has described its new 2035 climate target as ambitious, but it falls short of representing Australia’s highest possible ambition as required under the Paris Agreement. Nor does it fulfil Australia’s responsibility, as a developed nation, to take the lead in delivering economy-wide emissions reductions.
“It is promising to see the government’s intention to become a world-leading clean energy exporter, as outlined in the 2025 Electricity and Energy Sector Plan. Yet a critical prerequisite to realising this vision is the urgent delivery of a credible plan to phase down fossil fuel activities, consistent with the International Court of Justice’s recent advisory opinion on climate change obligations.
“A credible decarbonisation strategy requires the Government to reassess its support for new fossil fuel developments, including those for export markets, end fossil fuel subsidies, and strengthen regulation of the sector’s climate impacts by mandating corporate net zero transition plans for major emitters and enhancing the Safeguard Mechanism.
“Notably, the Government has yet to clarify whether it intends to legislate its 2035 target, as it did for the 2030 target. Enshrining this target in law would send a clear signal to investors and the international community, and help safeguard against the kind of policy reversals that have undermined climate action in the past.”
For more experts, news, opinion and analysis, visit Monash News.
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