Australia projected to miss 2035 emissions reduction target ‘by a country mile’ unless it ramps up climate policies

A general view of the Loy Yang coal mine. The projections suggest Labor will be better placed to meet its 2030 emissions reducing target – a 43% cut below 2005 levels. Photograph: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake for The Guardian

The Albanese government will need to substantially ramp up its climate policies to meet its recently announced 2035 emissions reduction target, according to an official projection that says it will otherwise be missed by a huge margin.

Government projections released on Thursday suggest under existing policies the country is on track to cut climate pollution by only 48% less than 2005 levels by 2035 – well below its target of a cut of between 62% and 70% by that date.