Scott Morrison prepares to take climate change target to cabinet

Scott Morrison will take his 2050 climate change target to cabinet today, but the Nationals are concerned about “sneaky tricks”.

Scott Morrison will take his plan to adopt a net zero by 2050 climate change target to cabinet today but the Nationals will have to sign off on the final agreement on Sunday.

As the Prime Minister considers packing his bags for the Glasgow climate summit, it’s D-Day to secure cabinet approval for the plan.

The Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, his deputy David Littleproud and Senator Bridget McKenzie will be part of those discussions in Wedesday’s cabinet talks.

Time Is Now is part of news.com.au’s partnership with the Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub, looking at the impacts of climate change across Australia by 2050

Barnaby Joyce, David Littleproud and Bridget McKenzie will be part of the discussions. Picture: Kym Smith

However, the Nationals are stressing that the final tick-off will need to secure the support of the party room which will meet on Sunday.

Traditionally in such circumstances the cabinet agrees to the broad outline of the plan and leaves the final negotiations to the Prime Minister and the Nationals.

The cabinet discussions today follow Prince Charles expressing surprise that Mr Morrison might be a no show at the Glasgow climate change summit.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Prince Charles at Clarence House in London. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

The heir to the British throne warned the outcome could be “catastrophic” if world leaders failed to act.

But Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce refused to endorse the new target on ABC on Tuesday night, telling 7:30 host Leigh Sales it was a matter for the party room.

“I’m not the negotiator. A plan will come to the Nationals’ party room on Sunday,” he said.

“When it arrives there with the information that we have that I can give to my colleagues, they will go into a discussion, they will ask serious questions, they will expect to hear answers, and I imagine not everybody in the room will come to the same position, but we’ll get a fair guide as to what’s happening then.

“The worst thing I could do for anybody – for Mr Morrison, the Prime Minister, for anybody – is to start saying, “Oh, well, I, Horatio Joyce, have now determined that this is the direction the Nationals are going. I’m not going to do it.

“You know, egotism is the best way to sink any deal, so I won’t be showing any of that.”

Barnaby Joyce at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

The new package is expected to include big bucks for regional electorates that can be rolled out in the lead-up to the federal election.

But Mr Joyce said he remained concerned about “sneaky tricks”.

“The last time we had a serious experience of this was Kyoto. What happened then was we got done over. People played a sneaky little game. And we ended up with the divestment of our private property,” he said. “But you know, we’ve been once bitten, and never twice, we’re going to be diligent.

“The first time it happens, the fool is them. The second time it happens, the fool is you. We’re going to make sure we go through this forensically and that, in the assertions and assumptions.

“We want to make sure that where we end up is a position, if it’s going forward, that takes our people not backwards – that takes them forward. That is so vitally important.”

Energy Minister Angus Taylor. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Energy Minister Angus Taylor will move to reassure critics today that the reforms can be implemented without major impacts on jobs.

“Our traditional industries that have given us enormous prosperity over a long period of time – agriculture, heavy industry and resources – we don’t want to see those industries being badly damaged and they don’t need to be,” Mr Taylor said.

“They do need to adapt, there’s no question about that. But a sensible net-zero goal with a sensible net-zero pathway creates a pathway for our resources industry, our heavy industry and our agriculture.”

But some Liberal MPs are urging the government to go further and take tougher action.

In a speech to be delivered on Wednesday, Liberal MP Andrew Bragg will argue Australia could easily meet an earlier 2030 target.

“Andrew Bleakers of the ANU says: “Australia can match the USA emissions target for 2030 (a 50% cut on 2005 emissions) by making a 40% cut in our current emissions,” he will say.

“The main requirement is doubling the solar and wind deployment rate, which is straightforward at low cost using existing technology.

“Global demand for coal will taper off in the coming decades. As the RBA has warned, Australian coal projects could become stranded assets.”

However, Mr Bragg argues against excluding agriculture.

“A key reason why agriculture should not be excluded from Australia’s targets and plans for net zero is that we need agriculture to ultimately focus on offsetting its own emissions, not from other parts of the economy,” he said.

“This new revenue could support the economic development of Indigenous communities, such as in Western New South Wales, where Aboriginal Land Councils have significant holdings but few other opportunities.”