A global commitment from government to lock in its emissions reduction target and policy should be a line in the sand in Australia’s decades long ‘climate wars,’ Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.
“Australia has a bipartisan net zero by 2050 target and the Albanese Government has a mandate to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030.
“Now it’s up to political leaders, community groups and business to work together and deliver the change Australians want.
“It’s time to move beyond the debate about targets and get on with the ‘how’.
“Navigating out of the current energy crisis and ensuring we don’t find ourselves here again in a decade means we’ve got to shift focus to planning a smooth transition.
“We need a transition that creates jobs, delivers affordable, reliable and secure energy and positions Australia for a decarbonised global economy.
“That will mean creating stability in the energy market by ending the ideological choices that limit fuel supply and force us to pick winners.
“To meet this challenge businesses are going to need to make huge investments in new technology with long horizons, today’s commitment will help deliver the certainty they need.
“The global momentum for decarbonisation is unstoppable and driven by a confluence of global forces including the movement of capital markets, technology change and a growing community appetite for action.
“Australia can’t afford to stall progress again because failure will see Australians miss out on new opportunities, new industries and better jobs.”
