Zali Steggall and teals demand 75pc emissions cut target by 2035

Zali Steggall has led the teal MPs’ call for the target to be set by February, declaring Australia ‘must go from being a laggard to a leader in climate action’.

Teal MPs Kylea Tink, Zali Steggall, Kate Chaney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

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Zali Steggall has led teal MPs in calling for a 2035 target of 75 per cent to be set by February, in line with Anthony Albanese’s own timeline, declaring Australia “must go from being a laggard to a leader in climate action”.

With climate ambition set to become a key negotiating point between the teals and the major parties in the event of a hung parliament, the independents with seats in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth urged both the Prime Minister and Peter Dutton to be honest with Australians and announce “strong” and “ambitious targets before the election, which is due by May.

The Opposition Leader won’t take a 2030 or 2035 target to the election and The Australian revealed last week that Mr Albanese may delay unveiling his 2035 goal, possibly until after the federal poll.

“The Albanese government must set a higher interim target than the last by February 2025, at least a 75 per cent reduction by 2035,” said Ms Steggall, who won the Sydney northern beaches seat of Warringah off Tony Abbott in 2019.

“Australia must go from being a laggard to a leader in climate action. 1.5 degrees is not a target but a threshold beyond which consequences will escalate, impacting every aspect of our communities, environment and economy.

“Australians are already ­suffering the consequences with runaway insurance costs caused by accelerating climate disasters.”

Mackellar MP Sophie Scamps said: “Both Labor and the Coalition should be open with the Australian people, before the next election, about their intentions for a 2035 target, which is due to be submitted by the end of February 2025.”

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water notes countries must update their nationally ­determined contribution under the Paris Agreement every five years, with each target to be more ambitious than the last. “Australia’s updated NDC will include the 2035 target and is due by the end of February 2025,” it states.

But the Climate Change Authority won’t deliver key advice Mr Albanese requires to inform his decision on a 2035 target until the new year at the earliest.

Kate Chaney, who represents the once blue-ribbon Liberal Perth seat of Curtin, said she hoped the 2035 target was based on the best information available “and I would hope the CCA can provide advice in time” for February.

“Setting a strong target for 2035 sends a clear message to investors so we can reshape our economy for future prosperity,” Ms Chaney said.

“Both parties aspiring to be in government should be able to see that not having an ambitious ­target will make us less competitive in the global competition for capital. We should be complying with our international obligations and setting a target.”

Monique Ryan lashed the major parties for failing to commit to a 2035 target, saying her electorate of Kooyong deserved “better than this”.

“As the representative for Kooyong, I’ll continue to work to push the major parties to set the strongest and most transparent targets possible for effective action on climate change – before, during and after the next election campaign,” she said.

Kylea Tink, whose seat of North Sydney is slated for abolition at the next election, added: “Our country’s 2035 emissions target must be in line with global efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of keeping warming below two degrees Celsius.

“Anything less than an ambitious, legislated 2035 target would not only be detrimental to our economy, the cost of living and our environment, but would ultimately be a slap in the face to future generations.”

Member for Goldstein Zoe Daniel said she would continue to hold the government to account to meet its 2030 target of 43 per cent below 2005 levels and to set ambitious future targets “for the sake of our communities, our economy and our children”.

The teals are demanding a 2035 target of at least 75 per cent.

In a review looking at what various sectors could do to reduce emissions, the CCA’s net zero by 2040 ­scenario shows a 2035 target of 75 per cent, compared to a 2035 ­target of 64 per cent to achieve net zero by 2050.