How Climate Change Fits into Australian Elections

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What is the current government’s stance on climate?

It did little to suggest that it recognizes climate change as a clear and immediate danger that needs a major change in policy. Last year, just before the international climate talks in Glasgow, it reluctantly agreed to a net zero target by 2050, which meant it would cut greenhouse gas emissions and make up for what they couldn’t eliminate with things like planting trees. projects. This is little more than a commitment. There are no plans on how to get there.

This is out of touch with most Australians. Polls show the majority want to see their governments tackle climate change more aggressive.

Does the ruling conservative coalition still rely on coal?

Yes, and the opposition is not far behind either. Labor leader Anthony Albanese, who is struggling to become prime minister, said last month that a Labor government would support new coal mines, in line with the pro-mining stance of the conservative Liberal-National coalition currently in power. It’s partly an effort to retain the support of blue-collar workers, but also an attempt to avoid a repeat of what happened in the 2019 election, when Labor lost blatant opposition to a new major coal mine in the state of Queensland. Joyful wrote about it. It is owned by the Indian conglomerate Adani and that mine has since started exporting coal.

Coal still reigns supreme in many of the territories needed to win Australia’s elections.

It competed in a handful of independent climate issues in 2019. I met some of them when I went to Australia towards the last election. What’s different now?

Well, there are more freelancers. About 25 of them. Most professional women – lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs – were recruited by community groups eager to break the bipartisan bottleneck on climate change.

Although they are more coordinated, it is a loosely connected group. More money is coming from groups like Climate 200, which is essentially the Australian version of a political action committee. And there is more energy. Some of his campaigns have thousands of volunteers, far more than the party’s leading leaders.

The question, of course, is whether they still have enough support to win more than a seat or two.

Independents could be important if the election is close, as expected. They can decide whether to form a government with the Labor Party or the Liberal-National coalition.

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