Increase 2030 emissions target and commit to net-zero: Kerry Schott urges Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison must increase the 2030 emissions reduction target and commit to net-zero by 2050 at Glasgow, says Kerry Schott.

Kerry Schott says ‘with electricity, the more ­renewables that come in, the lower the prices go’. Picture: Ryan Osland

The head of the government’s energy advisory body has urged Scott Morrison to increase Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target and commit to net-zero by 2050 at the Glasgow conference in November, declaring more ambitious climate change policies would lower electricity prices and bolster the economy.

Energy Security Board chair Kerry Schott said she “would hope” the government increases its 2030 target in Glasgow, after the NSW government unveiled a plan to lower emissions by 50 per cent by the end of the decade.

“The economic cost of not doing so is going to be increasingly severe,” Ms Schott told The Australian.

The federal government has a target to lower emissions by 26-28 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030, below the targets of NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT which range from 30 to 65 per cent.

Ms Schott, who will leave as the head of the ESB next month after being appointed by Malcolm Turnbull in 2017 to oversee reforms to the electricity market, said more ambitious climate policies would not put upward pressure on power prices or threaten the stability of the grid.

“With electricity, the more ­renewables that come in, the lower the prices go,” she said.

Ms Schott declined to put a specific figure on a 2030 target, noting the scale of medium-term ambition would also depend on sectors that were outside her expertise of electricity.

“Depends on what they do about electric vehicles and moving public transport to become more electrified, and also what the agriculture sector does about offsets,” she said.

“The reason why NSW regions are quite supportive is ­because of jobs in the regions – and also in agriculture there is money to be made.”

The Prime Minister has committed to releasing projections ahead of Glasgow showing the government is on track to beat its 2030 target but has been resisting formally updating the pledge.

British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell also on Wednesday urged the Morrison government to formally increase its 2030 target and make a firm commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.

With Mr Morrison yet to decide whether to attend the Glasgow conference, Ms Treadell said Britain would be “disappointed” if he was not there.

As part of the government’s technology approach to combating climate change, Energy Minister Angus Taylor will on Thursday unveil $250m of funding for the development of commercial-scale carbon capture, use and storage projects.

In a speech to the Australian British Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Mr Taylor said the world would not achieve ­carbon neutrality without “cross-border offsets”.

He said removing the “green premium” on low-emission technologies should be the ­biggest focus of global leaders at the COP26 conference.

“Above all others, the most meaningful outcomes that this COP could deliver is a step-up in global co-operation on clean technology research and development,” Mr Taylor said.

“This will be an essential element of our long-term emissions reduction plan. And in the lead up to COP26 – and beyond – our collective focus must be on driving down the costs of new and emerging technologies to parity with existing alternatives.”

Mr Taylor reiterated Australia’s policy to achieve net-zero emissions “as soon as possible and preferably by 2050”

With urban Liberals at loggerheads with Nationals over climate change, Josh Frydenberg said the issue “has no postcode”.

“Climate change is a global challenge that requires national solutions,” the Treasurer said. “It shouldn’t be seen as a binary choice between the regions and jobs. It shouldn’t be seen as a ­binary choice between city electorates or suburban electorates and regional electorates.

“When you reduce emissions in accordance with a well‑considered, funded plan, you actually create jobs. And that’s what we’ve been seeking to do.

“So, we don’t need to pull down some to lift others up. What we’re seeking to do here is put in place national plans that reduce our carbon footprint and take into account what the implications are for the regions.”

At the same press conference, Regionalisation Minister Bridget McKenzie said the Nationals needed to “stand up for our constituents and the industries that not just prop up our own local economies, but indeed prop up our national economy”.

“There are MPs out there who want to be cool for the climate, want to be cool on climate change, want to be popular without actually understanding and assessing and evaluating the consequences of these decisions,” Senator McKenzie said.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said the government should increase its 2030 target to between 45 and 50 per cent. He said he would be at COP26 on behalf Fortescue ­Future Industries and the Green Hydrogen Organisation.

“If Mr Morrison decides not to go to Glasgow, he is sending a message. His absence will send a strong message about his pri­orities,” Mr Turnbull told the National Press Club.

Opposition climate change spokesman Chris Bowen backed NSW setting a 50 per cent 2030 target. “We need policies underpinning a strong medium-term projection with policies underpinning better 2030 targets,” Mr Bowen said.

NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean also urged the government to increase its 2030 target.