Australia sets 2035 emissions target of at least 62% cut; government frames plan to net-zero by 2050

Australia on Thursday announced a new target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by between 62% and 70% from 2005 levels by 2035, adding to a stated goal of a 43% cut by the end of this decade and net-zero emissions by 2050. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Labor government said the target is "a responsible target backed by the science, backed by a practical plan to get there and built on proven technology," and that it is "the right target to protect our environment, to protect and advance our economy and jobs and to ensure that we act in our national interest and in the interest of this and future generations." Albanese noted the target is broadly aligned with the European Union's own potential motion to target ranges. He will take the plan to the United Nations General Assembly next week.

Under the Paris climate agreement, countries are expected to refresh targets every five years. Officials said the 2035 target builds on proven technology and a practical path to lower emissions while safeguarding energy security and jobs. The government compared Australia's plan to the EU's projection of a 63%–70% reduction below 1990 levels.

Matt Kean, chair of the Climate Change Authority, called the target "a higher ambition than most other advanced economies." Environmental groups argued for a reduction target exceeding 70%. However, business groups warned cuts above 70% would risk billions of dollars in exports and push production offshore. Opposition leader Sussan Ley said the 2035 target was not credible because the government would fail to meet its 2030 target. "These targets cannot be met. They are fantasy: we know, Australians know, and they’re very disappointed in this prime minister," Ley told reporters. The government maintains Australia is on track to narrowly achieve its 2030 target.

Larissa Waters, a Greens senator, said the government's actual target was 62%, which she described as "appallingly low." "Labor have sold out to the coal and gas corporations with this utter failure of a climate target," Waters told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Australian Greens are pushing for stronger action.

Andrew McKellar, chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, described the 2035 target as "ambitious." "One of the biggest issues that industry faces at the moment is the costs that we incur in terms of energy. We’ve got to have a sustainable pathway forward. We’ve got to have energy security and we’ve got to have energy affordability as well," McKellar said.

Australia's coal and LNG exports remain among the world's largest, complicating efforts to cut fossil-fuel reliance.