Scott Morrison refuses to commit to net-zero emissions by 2050

Scott Morrison will not commit to net-zero emissions by 2050, and says the target will be met “in the second half of the century”. It comes after the Federal Government last week pumped $52.9 million into unlocking more gas domestically, which it said would lower power prices for Australians. The announcement would bolster a “gas-led” recovery out of COVID-19 and the subsequent recession, Mr Morrison said. When asked why gas was chosen above other technologies, Mr Morrison said it was the market that had chosen. “Well, gas has chosen itself,” he said on ABC. “As yet, there is nothing presented which meets the goals which we have which is reliability and capabilities for renewables to meet the gap that will be created.” But despite business heavyweights and gas proponents like Andrew Liveris backing a 2050 target, Mr Morrison would not commit to the goal. “Our policy is to achieve that in the second half of this century, and I certainly will achieve that,” he said. “That's why this week's announcements were so important because it was about the technology we need to invest in now, which will make it a reality, particular on the other side of 2030.” More than 100 countries have committed to net-zero emissions by 2050. Mr Morrison said he was not “focused on the politics of these commitments” but on technologies that “delivered lower emissions, lower costs and more jobs”. “That's what actually matters to people,” he said. On the jobs market more broadly, Mr Morrison said he was encouraged by the latest figures and expected “hundreds of thousands more jobs” to come back online by Christmas. “I'm watching these issues closely and I'm pleased that we've seen over 400,000 jobs come back,” he said. “I think there will be hundreds of thousands of more jobs come back in between now and Christmas, particularly if we get this next step right in Victoria.” Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese lashed the Government’s lack of a clear target or plan. “What we heard from Scott Morrison today was that he has a plan to have a plan,” he said. “Eight years into office, this Government still does not have a coherent energy policy that will drive investment.” Mr Albanese called for more investment and focus on renewables, rather than gas. “What we know is the cheapest form of new investment in energy in Australia is renewables,” he said. “What we know also is that Australia can be a renewable energy superpower for the world.” But Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Resources Joel Fitzgibbon warned against Australia “running ahead of the rest of the world”. “We are 1.3 per cent of carbon output,” he said on Sky. “If China and the US and those other big emitters aren’t doing the heavy lifting then, we're not - we can’t hope to - make a difference here in Australia alone.”