Huge decision on Anthony Albanese’s big election promise

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has just received a significant update about one of his biggest election commitments.

The Greens will support Labor’s climate change bill, legislating a 43 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030.

Greens MP Adam Bandt confirmed the party would pass the Bill through both the House and the Senate.

Mr Bandt told the National Press Club while 43 per cent wasn’t nearly as high a target as his party wanted, amendments to the bill ensured it was a “floor, not a ceiling”.

He said it was “bitterly disappointing” that Labor had made it very clear they would not support a moratorium on new coal and gas, which the Greens had been pushing hard for.

Greens leader, Adam Bandt said his party would support Labor’s climate Bill, but was ‘disappointed’ it would mean new oil and gas could continue. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“You can’t put out the fire while pouring more petrol on it. You can only end the climate wars by keeping coal and gas in the ground,” Mr Bandt said.

“If we hit two degrees of warming or more, and fail to meet the Paris agreement goals – which is where Labor’s weak target takes us – the Great Barrier Reef will die.

“More coal and gas mines will cause more floods, fires and droughts. They will increase the cost of living, destroy infrastructure, ecosystems will collapse, more species will become extinct, and more of us will die.

“We are bitterly disappointed that Labor has made it so clear that they want to continue to open new coal and gas projects.”

Mr Bandt said the Greens had successfully secured improvements to the bill, ensuring the target could be “ratcheted up” over time.

“It is now ‘Dutton-proofed’ with a genuine floor, which means the trigger cannot go backwards,” Mr Bandt said.

Government agencies that have in the past funded coal and gas projects will also be forced to take climate targets into account.

“To be crystal clear, the Greens have improved a weak climate bill,” Mr Bandt said.

“But the fight to stop Labor opening new coal and gas continues. In this parliament, the only obstacle to greater climate ambition is Labor.”

The Greens also want to see a climate trigger be integrated into the EPBC act.