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Liberals Drop 2050 Net Zero Target, Stay in Paris and Shift to Five-Year Emissions Plans

The move sets up Coalition talks to finalise a joint policy by Sunday.

Overview

  • Opposition Leader Sussan Ley confirmed the party will remove net zero by 2050 from its platform and seek to repeal Labor’s 43% by 2030 target in the Climate Change Act.
  • The Liberals will remain in the Paris Agreement and adopt five-yearly emissions commitments, with reductions calibrated against comparable countries.
  • A six-person negotiating team — Dan Tehan, Anne Ruston and Jonno Duniam for the Liberals, and Matt Canavan, Ross Cadell and Susan McDonald for the Nationals — will draft a joint Coalition position for a Sunday meeting.
  • Moderate MPs were offered a concession to describe achieving net zero as a “welcome outcome,” easing resignation threats after a party-room debate where reports tallied 28 speakers against retaining the target and 17 in favour.
  • Dan Tehan’s guiding principles emphasise affordability and reliability through a technology‑neutral approach that canvasses lifting the nuclear ban, extending the life of coal plants and scrapping several Labor measures.