Anthony Albanese says Australia will detail its 2035 emission reduction targets “sometime next year”, in comments that raise the prospect the government might delay committing to a next-phase target until after the federal election.
Asked on ABC’s Insiders on Sunday whether his government could match the UK’s 2035 commitment to cut emissions by 81% on 1990 levels, the prime minister referred to Australia’s existing 2030 target.
“Our focus is on achieving the 2030 target because 2030 comes before 2035,” he said.
“[Voters] do know exactly what we’re doing – 43% by 2030, a target of net zero by 2050, 82% renewables by 2030.
“You not only know what we’re going to do but how we’re going to get there.”
Australia is due to submit its 2035 target, under the terms of the Paris agreement, at some stage next year.
Guardian Australia has previously reported the possibility that such an announcement might be delayed until after the election, due in the first half of the year, as it waits for a recommendation from the Climate Change Authority.
The authority chair, Matt Kean, told Guardian Australia last week its advice had been pushed back to consider the ramifications of Donald Trump winning the US presidential election.
Initial advice from the authority this year suggested a target of at least 65% and up to 75% would be ambitious but achievable.
Albanese’s comments come after the Apec summit with Pacific rim nations in Lima, Peru, where climate discussions featured heavily. They also come during the Cop29 climate summit it Azerbaijan.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, released a statement calling on the government to reveal the 2035 target at Cop29.
“With Donald Trump now US [president-elect] and Peter Dutton spruiking nuclear here, Labor must stop lifting emissions and join the UK in pushing for strong action by 2035, otherwise we won’t stop global warming,” Bandt said.
“The only 2035 target consistent with a safe climate is net zero. At the climate summit, Labor must match and raise the UK’s climate ambition and give voters peace of mind that this government takes climate change seriously.”
