‘Global reputation at stake’ in climate bill

Energy Minister Chris Bowen says Australia’s international reputation will suffer if parliament fails to legislate Labor’s 43 per cent emissions reduction target.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen. Picture: AFP

Energy Minister Chris Bowen says Australia’s international reputation will suffer if parliament fails to legislate Labor’s 43 per cent emissions reduction target, as the Greens signal the party’s push to ban coal and gas developments does not have to be linked to the government’s climate change bill.

With the Albanese government moving to restore Australia’s global standing on climate change action, Mr Bowen said there would be disappointment internationally if the Greens teamed up with the Coalition to block a bill that would enshrine the 43 per cent target in law.

“I believe it will impact how the world is seeing Australia if this legislation isn’t passed,” Mr Bowen said. “There’s great interest in what’s happening and Australia’s new government’s actions have been warmly welcomed.”

Labor made minor changes to its draft climate change bill in a bid to win the support of the Greens and teal independents, including making it explicit in the legislation’s wording that the 43 per cent ambition was a floor and that the intention of the Paris Agreement was to formulate new targets every five years that were more ambitious.

Mr Bowen said there would need to be new legislation passed by parliament if a future government wanted to increase the target to lower emissions by 43 per cent by 2030.

Australia is required under the Paris Agreement to set a 2035 target by 2025, making the need for a new 2030 target highly unlikely.

“Because 43 per cent is legislated, if you want to change that you’d have to legislate it,” Mr Bowen said. “This government won’t be seeking to change that, because that’s our target. That’s what we intend to meet.

“We hope and expect Australia can do even better than that with the combined efforts of industry, unions, communities ... state and federal (governments).”

Investor Group on Climate Change director Erwin Jackson said the climate change bill was “an opportunity to unlock ­hundreds of billions of investment in climate solutions across the economy”.

Greens leader Adam Bandt on Tuesday softened his demand for Labor to implement a moratorium on new coalmines and gas developments in return for the party’s backing of the climate change bill.

Mr Bandt said there were other ways the Greens could fight for a ban on new fossil fuel projects, including through reforms to the safeguard mechanism or negotiating a “climate trigger” in the environmental approval laws.

“There are a variety of ways in which the question of new coal and gas could be dealt with,” Mr Bandt said.

“It is woeful in this country that you can approve new projects under our environmental rules without even having to think about the climate.”

Despite the softening, the Greens will likely put forward amendments in the Senate around blocking new coal and gas projects and allowing ministerial regulation to ratchet-up emissions reduction targets without a parliamentary vote.

The public fight over its core policies would not stop the Greens ultimately passing the legislation when it goes to a vote in the Senate in September, sources said.

Senior Greens sources said after Labor toned down its rhetoric and outlined its ambition for greater emissions reduction, Mr Bandt’s position was to “improve and pass” the legislation.

Institute of Public Affairs deputy executive director Daniel Wild, however, said the legislation “risks significantly expanding the scope for litigation aimed at disrupting and cancelling critical resource projects”.

“Labor’s legislation will give license to radical green groups to weaponise the law to achieve their stated aims of shutting down all new coal, gas, and, oil projects across the nation,” Mr Wild said.

“Any legislation will give green groups and unelected judges unprecedented powers to deny Australians access to reliable and affordable energy.”

The Coalition, which opposes legislated climate change targets, will broaden its attack on Mr Bowen this week over Labor’s shake-up of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.