Nature Positive: Greens drop ‘climate trigger’ demand in surprise twist to bitter nature row

The Greens will no longer insist on a climate trigger under a new offer designed to tempt the Federal Government into a deal to pass its Nature Positive laws in the final parliamentary sittings of the year.

The left-wing party is now prepared to support Labor’s federal Environment Protection Agency in exchange for a crackdown on native forest logging after dropping its long-held climate demand.

But the Greens will continue to campaign for a climate trigger at the Federal election and in the next Parliament, sending a clear message that the party’s push for a policy that WA business warns will devastate WA is far from over.

The new offer will breathe life into negotiations on the EPA bill, which have been on the brink of collapse as Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek struggles to win support from either the Greens and crossbench or the Coalition.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appeared to have killed off the prospect of a Labor-Greens deal after ruling out adopting a climate trigger, which would require decision-makers to consider a project’s greenhouse gas emissions during the environmental assessment.

After conceding Mr Albanese would not “budge” on a climate trigger, Greens environment spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said the party was prepared to help pass the EPA laws if Labor met its other demand.

The Greens want to shut a loophole that exempts native forest logging from federal environment assessment.

“The PM might not be willing to budge but the Greens are if it’s in the best interests of our environment,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“For this reason, we have offered the Albanese Government passage of their Nature Positive bills in return for real action to save our native forests and critical habitat.”

Native forest logging is banned in WA, meaning the Greens can argue that Labor is able to accept the offer without dudding the State.

However, placing new restrictions on the logging industry would risk a backlash in Tasmania, another battleground state where Labor is hoping to defend and pick up seats.

If the Greens support the Bill then Labor would still need some crossbenchers — most likely David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe — to help get it through Parliament.

WA miners are highly unlikely to support a Labor-Greens deal even if it doesn’t include a climate trigger, given it would result in an EPA with sweeping assessment and enforcement powers.

The industry’s preference is for a Labor-Coalition deal that involves a stripped-back EPA.

Mr Albanese offered that concession in September but it wasn’t enough to win over the Opposition.

The Greens’ decision to shelve the climate trigger demand is the second time in a matter of days the party has offered to walk back a long-held policy position after it proposed a compromise on Labor’s housing bills.

The approach comes just weeks after the Greens’ poor showing at the Queensland election, where the federal party’s hardline negotiating tactics were blamed for putting off some voters.

As it stares at a growing backlog of legislation and with time running out before the election, the Government will prioritise education-related bills in the final sitting fortnight of 2024.

The Government is also hoping to pass landmark aged care reforms while rushing major changes to political donation rules.

In another sign the parliamentary term is almost over, retiring politicians including Forrest MP Nola Marino and former Labor leader Bill Shorten will deliver their valedictory speeches.