Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce and Keith Pitt have called for the Coalition to abandon the Paris climate agreement, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticized opposition leader Peter Dutton for opposing emissions reduction targets.
Karen Middleton reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- Joyce and Pitt argue that the economic impact of the Paris agreement outweighs its environmental goals.
- Dutton opposes the government's 43% emissions reduction target by 2030, claiming it is unattainable.
- Albanese accuses Dutton of abandoning climate commitments and being "afraid of the future."
Key quote:
“You cannot destroy the economy for the purposes of a policy. The political reality that sits behind that is if the lights go out and the economy is shelled out, you’ll get voted out.”
— Barnaby Joyce, former Nationals Leader
Why this matters:
The debate reflects a deep division within Australian politics on balancing economic and environmental priorities. With climate change increasingly impacting global and local communities, the direction Australia takes could have significant ramifications for its environmental and economic future.
