Extract from ABC News
COP26 agreement to phase down coal not 'a death knell' for coal power says PM, disputing Boris Johnson.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his deputy Barnaby Joyce are spruiking the future of the coal industry, just days after Australia agreed to a global pact to "phase down" the sector to address climate change.
Key points:
- Scott Morrison says an international agreement to 'phase down' coal does not spell the end of fossil fuels
- The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the agreement was a 'death knell for coal power'
- Mr Morrison says Australians will be working in the coal industry for decades to come
The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow "sounded the death knell for coal power", however, Mr Morrison disputed that characterisation of the outcome of the global talks.
"I don't believe it did, and for all of those who are working in that industry in Australia, they'll continue to be working in that industry for decades to come," he said.
Standing in front of a coal-laden train in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said international demand for coal was strong and Australia should take advantage of it.
"You've got record prices and record volumes, so if the world's buying it, there's a market for it," he said from Singleton.
"If they say the world is transitioning away from [coal], well, you'll see that at the Port of Newcastle and you'll see that at the Port of Gladstone — but it's not happening."
Australia won't move on 2030 target, despite global call
The final COP26 communique also called on all nations to "revisit and strengthen" their 2030 targets at next year's summit.
Despite agreeing to the communique, the federal government is adamant it will not change Australia's current 2030 emissions reduction target, which was set six years ago as a 26 to 28 per cent cut, based on 2005 levels.
"Well, all that happened at COP26 was all countries noted a request to revisit these things," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
Mr Morrison was referring to the federal government's "projection" that Australia would actually reduce emissions by up to 35 per cent by 2030, despite the official target remaining at 26 to 28 per cent.
Mr Joyce — who, as leader of the Nationals, recently negotiated a secret deal on climate policy with Mr Morrison — said the federal government was taking a pragmatic approach to setting emissions reduction targets this decade.
"We're not starting to change targets for 2030, because we've got to earn a buck," he said.
"If people want to be poor, that's the goal … then stop exporting the stuff that earns the dollars."
Opposition flags climate announcement before end of year
Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese accused Mr Morrison of walking away from commitments he has made, given the PM was not willing to revisit the 2030 target next year.
"I find it completely extraordinary that, 24 hours after the federal government signed up to having a higher 2030 target in 2022, they've walked away from that commitment they voluntarily signed up to in Glasgow," he said.
"Why is it when it comes to Scott Morrison, what he says yesterday doesn't matter today?"
The Labor Party has yet to announce its policy on a 2030 emissions reduction target, having ditched its commitment from the last election to cut emissions by 45 per cent by 2030.
Earlier, Mr Albanese was again asked when Labor would announce its own climate ambitions.
"We will be releasing further climate change policy before end of the year," Mr Albanese said.
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