With the UN calling for Australia to quit coal by 2030, but Rupert Murdoch officially moving only to 'net zero by 2050', the looming divide between climate activists and fossil fuel supporters is now clear, Greens Leader, Adam Bandt MP said, announcing the Greens will introduce a bill to phase out coal by 2030 to parliament, putting legislative action behind the UN's demands.
With climate denial now thoroughly discredited, fossil fuel backers including Murdoch, Liberal and Labor are shifting to 'net zero by 2050', which will be insufficient to stop dangerous climate change without deeper emissions reductions by 2030.
Meanwhile, the UN, the Greens and the world's scientists are demanding fossil fuel producing nations phase out coal, oil and gas, with a just transition that ensures good, meaningful work for workers in affected industries.
The independent Climate Targets Panel found earlier this year that 'net zero by 2050' as a target for Australia is incompatible with the temperature targets in the Paris Agreement and that stronger 2030 targets were needed.
"This sets the stage for climate action in the 2020s. With ten years to prevent the climate crisis, one side is trying to urgently phase out coal, oil, and gas, but the other is trying to delay action until 2050," Mr Bandt said.
"Delay is the new denial. Australia must phase out coal by 2030, because by 2050 it will be too late."
"The Greens will do what the science demands and move legislation in Parliament for Australia to phase out coal by 2030.
"The latest IPCC report is clear: we're on track to hit 1.5 degrees of warming by the 2030s. If we want a safe climate for future generations, we need to phase out coal by 2030 with a transition plan and significant support for affected workers.
"Rupert Murdoch appears to be shifting from straight out climate denial to climate delay. The favoured tactic of coal and gas advocates is now to try and delay climate action, squeezing out the last profits for an industry in decline.
"While the Greens, United Nations and climate scientists are pushing for Australia to quit its coal addiction by 2030, Rupert Murdoch, the Liberals and Labor are pushing for coal to stay in the system for decades.
"The climate crisis is already here. Weather events supercharged by global heating are already killing people - and will affect us all. With disaster after disaster unfolding across the world, we can't wait until 2050 to take action.
"According to the independent Climate Targets Panel, we need 75% emissions reductions by 2030, with net zero by 2035 at the latest. Anything less amounts to denial of climate science."
