By Paul Sakkal
The Liberal Party has formally agreed to dump the 2050 net zero target but will remain open to a carbon-neutral future as a “welcome outcome”.
A shadow ministerial meeting has just wrapped up after yesterday’s party room meeting decided to dump net zero.
Sussan Ley arriving at the party room meeting on Wednesday. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
The meeting of Liberal frontbenchers agreed on Thursday to remain in the Paris agreement, set interim climate targets when in government, and maintain a watered-down aspiration to net zero as a “welcome outcome” without using taxes or government mechanisms to get to net zero, according to several shadow ministers speaking on background about the deliberations.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is expected to address the media this afternoon to face questions on the decision.
On Wednesday, about 60 per cent of the 51 Liberals in federal government spoke in favour of rejecting the Morrison-era target in a nearly five-hour meeting of party MPs, representing a decisive majority and clearing the path for Ley to take the fight to Labor with a radically reshaped energy policy.
On Sunday, the Liberal and National party rooms will meet to agree on the formal Coalition position on climate emissions. The Nationals have already ditched the net zero target, while insisting they will not walk away from the Paris Agreement.
More to come...
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