Australia’s liberal party moves to abandon 2050 net zero climate target after heated parliamentary debate

Australia’s Liberal Party appears set to abandon its commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, following a contentious five-hour meeting among party members in Canberra on Wednesday. The dramatic policy shift would align the Liberals with their coalition partners, the Nationals, who have already walked away from the climate commitment.

During the marathon parliamentary session, a clear majority of Liberal MPs voiced opposition to maintaining the net zero target. According to senior party sources, 28 speakers advocated for completely abandoning the 2050 emissions goal, while only 17 expressed support for keeping it in some form. Four additional members remained undecided on the issue.

The heated debate reflects growing internal tensions within the Liberal Party over climate policy, particularly as Australia faces increasing pressure to strengthen its environmental commitments ahead of upcoming international climate negotiations. The potential policy reversal represents a significant shift for the party, which had previously supported the net zero target as part of Australia’s contribution to global climate action.

Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley and the shadow ministry are scheduled to meet Thursday morning to formalize their position on the climate target. This decision could have far-reaching implications for Australia’s climate policy direction and its international standing on environmental issues. The move comes at a critical time when many nations are strengthening their climate commitments to address the urgency of global warming and meet the goals outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement.