The Business Council of Australia has called for a doubling of Australia’s efforts to slash carbon pollution over the next decade and unveiled a detailed plan to hit net zero emissions by mid-century while boosting the economy by $890 billion.
Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott – who before the last election labelled federal Labor’s policy of a 45 per cent cut as “economy wrecking” – now says Australia’s biggest trading partners were already making the transition and Australian businesses were acting, as were global capital markets.
The business-led push will coincide with a new campaign from media giant News Corp Australia, which is expected to bring its campaign endorsing net zero forward to next week. But environmental groups and progressive think-tank The Australian Institute argue any government commitment would be meaningless without urgently phasing out fossil fuels and 2050 is too late to hit net zero.
Australia’s major trading partners are reorientating their economies and shifting demand away from carbon-intensive imports. So far 14 of Australia’s largest 20 trading partners, including the US, Britain, Japan and South Korea, have committed to net zero, covering more than 70 per cent of the nation’s two-way trade and 83 per cent of its exports. The South Korean government on Friday announced it would lift its 2030 emissions reduction target from 26 per cent to 40 per cent.
Ms Westacott said formally committing to a net zero by 2050 target would also give certainty to industry to invest and urged the government to introduce 10-year carbon budgets with five-year reviews to provide predictability and a clear pathway to net zero.
BCAcomau The BCA can expect an awkward call from Scotty and Rupert 😂
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