June 21, 2021: A climate change sceptic will be Australia’s new deputy prime minister after a leadership revolt in the coalition government’s minor party, making it harder for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to achieve a commitment of zero net emissions by 2050.
Australia’s reliance on coal-fired power makes it one of the world’s largest emitters of carbon, but its conservative government has consistently supported the country’s fossil fuel industries, and it has argued that cracking down on emissions will cost jobs.
In recent months, Morrison has softened his stance, saying that Australia wants to achieve “zero” emissions as soon as possible, “preferentially” by 2050, but that the technology must be guided rather than politically targeted. Climate change expert Barnaby Joyce, who served as deputy prime minister from 2016 to 2018 but resigned after an unmarried relationship with a former staffer, defeated incumbent Michael McCormack by the National Party leadership on Monday. Through the convention, the leader of the National Party based in rural areas becomes the Deputy Prime Minister in the Liberal National Government.
Joyce, who will be sworn in as deputy prime minister on Tuesday, said his party would only support an energy policy that would strengthen the government’s appeal in regional Australia – which focuses heavily on fossil fuel mining. Depends more. “I want to make sure we have the process to go to places like Central Queensland (a major mining state) … and give us the best chance of winning the next election.”
Joyce told reporters in Canberra. Joyce’s agreement is likely to dampen Morrison’s hopes of boosting Australia’s climate goals, after US President Joe Biden jointly pledged to pledge zero net emissions to countries by 2050. Has been emphasized. Hayden Mann, a professor of political science at the University of Flanders in Australia, said: “Barnaby Joyce has made it clear that he wants the National Party to be independent and that there will be no room for compromise on net zero by 2050. Joyce has previously said he is ready to vote against any government legislation that would cost jobs because of the high quality of the climate.”
Unlike other developed nations, Australia has refused to budge from its Paris Agreement commitment to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 26% to 28% from 2005 levels by 2030.
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