Net-zero cult leaves us at risk of missing out on tech advances

Using multiple sources, Greg Sheridan accurately shows how global net zero by 2050 is nothing but fantasy and how countries are increasingly dropping the target while still pursuing emission reduction policies, albeit along more pragmatic lines (“In line with global shift, Coalition calls out energy fantasy”, 18/11).

Australia, with its pursuit of a renewables-dominant energy system at great cost to the economy and the environment, is increasingly becoming an outlier in global energy developments. By the 2030s, this costly exceptionalism will be more pronounced as superior technologies such as advanced small nuclear reactors will be adopted worldwide while Australia’s wind and solar farms will be approaching their use-by dates.

Ron Hobba, Camberwell, Vic

Australia is now the only Western democracy still in the throes of a cultural and political net-zero cult. It has more than a decade to run.

Only economic collapse, huge decline in living standards, the total failure and removal of cult leaders, an unlikely dissident from the cult, generational change or cataclysmic external pressure such as war can deflect the entrenched cult of belief systems such as we are now experiencing in Australia.

Our cult marches under the net-zero flag, but exemplifies a totally predictable raft of associated beliefs and political behaviours including: bizarre identity and gender policies, foolish immigration, the romanticising of all perceived societal underdogs in terms of victims and oppressors, hating one’s country and its national flag, and pro-Palestine/anti-Israel/erstwhile anti-Semitism, the indoctrination decay of education and universities.

Inspired by the faux virtue of superiority to save the world, this failing cult ideology cheerfully ignores the decline and debt it delivers every day. Australia is a perfect example of the political woke cult.

Betty Cockman, Dongara, WA

Troy Bramston (“Liberal climate retreat equals net-zero gain of seats”, 18/11) predictably argues that dropping net zero will not help the Coalition regain teal seats at the next election.

I agree with him because the real impacts of the government’s transition will not be felt for some time. But when they are felt, they will be so severe that even the teals will moderate their views and vote accordingly.

The doubling of transmission requirements will all be paid for by electricity users, so on this score alone electricity prices will continue to increase. As the heavy lifting in the transition will be in the industrial and transport sectors, net zero by 2050 needs government subsidies to industry, carbon capture and storage, and the replacement of diesel and avgas with biofuels.

The Coalition will have an ever-increasing list of deleterious side effects of the transition that diminish our standard of living, our economy and our environment. If it continually pressures the government, and ensures the voters know, the votes will return as Australians will eventually see (and feel) the folly of an all-renewables transition.

Peter Cornish, Neutral Bay, NSW

Greg Sheridan and Troy Bramston provide two opposing opinions on the decision of the Coalition to pivot away from net zero. The former asserts that it is simply following the trend of the rest of the world in its awakening, while the latter focuses solely on the politics. If the adage holds that “good policy is good politics”, then surely the Labor government is pulling the wrong rein.

Kim Keogh, Claremont, WA

Whether their leader is Sussan Ley or Andrew Hastie, the Liberals need to convince the electorate that the Liberal National Party is serious about alternatives to net zero (“Hastie emerging as Albanese’s wildcard”, 18/11).

Ley has the baggage of supporting net zero, though she has not been pushing it much recently. The problem for Hastie, or any member to the political right, is to come up with a balanced energy policy.

They have to capture some of the voters who would prefer net zero, with at least some action on carbon emissions.

At the same time, the National Party will be trying to avoid leakage the other way, to climate change-denying One Nation. It’s going to be difficult to get the right balance, especially with headlines like “Temperature’s rising and so’s the danger” (4/11).

John Hughes, Mentone, Vic