Australia’s conservative Liberal Party has officially walked away from its commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, choosing to focus on lowering energy costs instead ⚡️🤑.
This major policy shift, announced on Thursday, ends months of in-fighting between the party’s moderate and right-wing wings. It also brings the Liberals in line with their coalition partners in the National Party, who ditched net-zero earlier this month.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley said the party will roll back the current Labor government’s climate and energy targets, scrap emission-reduction goals, and delay any early coal plant closures. But they won’t pull out of the Paris climate agreement 🌏🤝.
Key points of the new plan:
- Delay early coal plant closures 🏭
- Lift ban on nuclear energy ☢️
- Boost investment in gas supply and infrastructure 🛢️
- Curb emissions in line with peers, as fast as tech allows 🚀
While critics warn this move could slow global climate action, supporters argue it reflects the reality of rising power bills—something young people in South and Southeast Asia know all too well as they juggle work, study, and daily expenses.
Whether this gamble pays off will depend on tech breakthroughs in clean energy and on how voters—especially budget-conscious Gen Z and millennials—react at the next election 📅🇦🇺.
Reference(s):
Australia's conservative Liberal Party abandons net-zero policy
cgtn.com
