Australia’s net zero deal unlikely to be reached a week before Glasgow climate summit

Australia’s deal to reach net zero emissions by 2050 is unlikely to be landed this week as the window before Scott Morrison heads to Glasgow narrows by the day.

A deal committing Australia to reach net zero emissions by 2050 is unlikely to be landed this week, narrowing the window for Scott Morrison to lock in the target before the Glasgow climate summit.

The Prime Minister will head to Europe at the end of next week as pressure mounts on him to finalise the net zero plan, having already indicated that he will not follow the US and the UK in lifting Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction ambition.

Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce said on Tuesday that Mr Morrison had “definitely got a mandate” from the Liberal party room for the 2050 target, but that he and his MPs remained cautious about signing up.

He said the decision was the “prerogative of the Prime Minister” and that the Nationals would not be “bullying” or “coercing” him to walk away from the plan ahead of Glasgow.

“We have a Coalition, and it is the best thing for our nation. But it is not chained with a padlock. It is the agreed position of views, one overwhelmingly of a capital city, urban view,” Mr Joyce said.

“I have no mandate from the Nationals party room at this stage.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will head to Europe at the end of next week.

Mr Morrison told parliament that Australia faced “very difficult global economic challenges” over the next 30 years, but he was confident the transition to net zero would be a “great positive” for the country.

He said that while the global effort to reduce emissions would pose “risks and threats” to regional areas, the government would be transparent about its commitments and the costs and opportunities.

“It’s all about the economic plan and who Australians will trust with the economic plan that can take Australians through what will be a very challenging time, and who they can really trust to look after rural and regional Australia,” Mr Morrison said.

Government leaders did not raise the issue in a joint party room meeting on Tuesday, with the Nationals set to continue discussions this week.

Artists paint a mural on a wall in Glasgow ahead of the COP26 UN Climate Summit later this month.

Resources Minister Keith Pitt, a net zero opponent, said: “Do I think Australia can change the temperature of the globe? If we shut our economy, I don’t think it will make one iota of difference.”

He said his position as a minister would “always be the government’s position, but right now, that is not established”.

Queensland Nationals senator Matt Canavan said Mr Morrison was “gas-lighting the Nationals” who were “being asked to marry a girl we haven’t met”.

But Gippsland MP Darren Chester said Australia had to be “part of the international solution”.