Australia Dumps Net Zero Pledge but Ley Maintains Emissions Cuts

Takeaways

• The Liberal Party has scrapped its net-zero target but insists it remains committed to emissions reduction in line with global peers.
• The new climate policy shifts focus to lowering energy bills, expanding gas supply, and considering nuclear energy.
• Critics say the move weakens Australia’s climate ambition and signals a retreat from long-term decarbonization goals.

Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley says the opposition remains committed to tackling climate change, even as the party removes its longstanding net-zero emissions by 2050 target from its platform. The party’s revised climate policy, released on Thursday, marks a significant shift in direction, with increased taxpayer funding flagged for coal and gas projects and the removal of legislated targets introduced by the Labor government.

Ley reaffirmed that the Liberals still intend to pursue emissions reduction “year on year on average,” insisting the change does not reflect a retreat from climate action. “We care about emissions. That's why our policy is about reducing emissions year on year on average,” she told reporters in Sydney on Friday. She added that climate commitments should not be “set and forget,” arguing they must respond to evolving conditions on the ground.

Read More: Google Quietly Removes Net-Zero Pledge Amid Rising AI Energy Demand

Despite dropping the net-zero pledge, the Liberals say they remain aligned with the Paris climate agreement, which requires countries to regularly strengthen their climate efforts. Ley said other nations were reviewing and reducing their targets, and Australia needed a “different approach” that balanced environmental responsibility with practical energy needs. Central to the updated policy is a renewed focus on easing household energy bills. Ley said the party’s approach would be “technology agnostic,” allowing a broad mix of renewable energy, gas, and emerging technologies to support grid stability. She suggested more gas supply would be needed but did not outline specific steps to secure it. “There are ways of injecting more gas into the system, and that supply is critical,” she said.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen criticized the Liberals’ shift, saying “climate deniers” had influenced policy direction. He argued the change reflected internal inconsistency and a reluctance to seize what he called Australia’s biggest environmental and economic opportunity.

Opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan said the priority was ensuring cheaper, more reliable power for households. “We are very, very confident that by bringing all of Australia's natural resources to this equation, that we will be able to put downward pressure on energy,” he said, adding that market forces should guide future technology choices.

The policy also reaffirms the coalition’s support for lifting Australia’s long-standing ban on nuclear energy. The Liberals campaigned in May’s federal election on building multiple nuclear power plants as part of a diversified energy mix. Ley defended the stance, noting Australia’s move toward nuclear-powered submarines. “Nuclear does make sense, by the way. We're going to have nuclear-powered submarines in this country,” she said.

Also Read: Net Zero Technologies: Pathways to Carbon Neutrality

Final negotiations on the policy will continue ahead of a joint party room meeting on Sunday, where the coalition is expected to finalize its position.

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Source: The Canberra Times