Moderate Liberal Warns Against Abandoning Net Zero, Fears Party Drift to ‘Fringe’
CANBERRA – A senior moderate Liberal MP has publicly criticised what he termed a “fatwa” against the party’s net zero commitment, warning the Coalition risks becoming “fringe dwellers” if it abandons climate targets. The intervention comes as the party finalises its energy and climate policy ahead of upcoming meetings, with some figures advocating for a rollback of australia’s 2050 net zero pledge and increased investment in fossil fuels.
The debate within the Liberal party centres on the balance between energy security, affordability, and climate action.Australia committed to net zero emissions by 2050 under the paris Agreement, a pact which stipulates countries cannot weaken existing targets. A shift away from this goal woudl represent a breach of international obligations and potentially damage Australia’s reputation on the global stage. the discussion is notably sensitive as the Queensland LNP government recently proposed extending the lifespan of its state-owned coal plants until at least 2046, a plan criticised for its potential climate and economic impacts.
Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism Dan Tehan, in a recent interview on Sky News, defended the party’s focus on “energy abundance” – a strategy that could involve extending the life of coal-fired power stations and increasing gas supply. He did not rule out taxpayer subsidies for fossil fuel generation, stating the need to “sweat those coal assets” and “get more gas into the system much more quickly.”
Tehan’s comments follow scrutiny of the Queensland LNP’s energy roadmap, released last month, which proposes keeping coal plants operational for a decade longer than previously planned. critics, including energy analysts and conservationists, argue this plan will result in expensive, unreliable energy and exacerbate climate change. The Paris Agreement’s action Tracker notes that not all signatories have individual commitments to the net zero goal, but any weakening of a nation’s existing pledge would be a violation of the pact.
