Any week now, Australia will set its 2035 emissions target. It must signal the nation’s strong ambition on climate action, to drive policy and investment. And it must avoid being seen as either unrealistic or too costly. The decision is not an easy one for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his cabinet.
If any Australian government has had a clear runway for ambitious climate policy, it is this one. A successful first term, and a landslide win in an election partly fought over climate and energy policy, gives the Albanese government an opportunity for a lasting legacy.
But the tightrope the government must walk spans a wide gulf. The Climate Change Authority’s draft advice floated emissions reduction of 65-75% by 2035. Environment groups are gunning for the high end of the range; some business groups agree, but others won’t.
