Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s declaration that a Coalition government would junk Labor’s interim target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 – and not nominate a replacement target until after the next election – has unfortunately reignited the carbon wars that have plagued attempts to decarbonise Australia’s fossil fuel-intensive economy for the past two decades.

Yet Mr Dutton’s claim that Australia is falling well short of this legislated target on the way to net zero by 2050 under the Paris climate change accord is what many climate activists, energy companies and The Australian Financial Review have been saying.