Anthony Albanese commits Australia to new target of 43 per cent emission reduction target

Anthony Albanese has officially beefed up Australia’s emission reductions targets, insisting the nation has turned the climate corner.

The Prime Minister has written to the United Nations to outline the new target of 43 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030.

“What we didn’t do was set a target and then work out how to get there. What we did was work out what good policy looked like, and it happened to come out with a 43 per cent target by 2030,” he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.

“What businesses have been crying out for is investment certainty. The certainty they need to invest over a longer time frame than the political cycle of three years, let alone the cycle that dominated the former government’s thinking.”

Mr Albanese went to the election with the emissions reduction target along with a commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The signing of the nationally determined contribution took place in Canberra on Thursday alongside industry stakeholders across business groups, trade unions and energy advocates.

The move had been welcomed by international leaders after a decade of inaction, Mr Albanese said.

“What today demonstrated … is an opportunity that Australia has to end the climate wars, an opportunity to reach for solutions, not arguments,” he said.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said a line had been drawn under the previous government’s “message” to the world.

“For years, the Australian government told the world that was all too hard. Told Australians it was too hard. Told the world that Australia wasn’t up to it and wasn’t up for it,” he said.

“Well, the Albanese government today sends a very different message … We’ll provide the policy for manufacturing jobs powered by clean renewable energy.

“We send the message to the rest of the world, to our friends and allies, that we’re partners in tackling the climate emergency.

“We send the message to Australians that we seek to end the climate wars as the Prime Minister said.”

The government will now look towards legislating the target when parliament returns in July.