Bailing on Paris Agreement ‘devastatingly bad’, Cook says
Premier Roger Cook has slammed Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s threat to walk back climate policy, saying dropping out of the Paris accord would be “devastatingly bad” for Australia.
Mr Dutton has reportedly pledged to oppose the Federal Government’s plan to cut carbon emissions to 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, but will stick to the net zero 2050 target.
He said there was “no hope” of achieving the targets and the deal would slow investment.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Mr Cook took aim at any bid to drop out of the Paris deal — an agreement locked in under Tony Abbott’s Coalition Government.
“Australia may take a devastatingly bad direction if indeed we do abandon the Paris accord and do try to repudiate (action) on climate change,” he said at an Australian British Chamber of Commerce summit on Monday.
But he also said Western Australia would likely not be severely impacted.
“Generally people look to Canberra for leadership . . . (but) we are a highly export oriented, Asia-integrated, trading economy,” Mr Cook said.
“The opportunities afforded us come from the drive of international demand and international investment.”
The State was looking east and north, Mr Cook said.
Australia’s energy and climate policies have sparked heated contests in Federal parliament since at least 2009.
That’s contributed to investment uncertainty for high emissions and low emissions industries alike, and led to calls by key business lobby groups to stop fiddling with the targets.
