Australia urged to show climate leadership by UK, experts as Trump Administration casts doubt on net zero

Australia should follow the United Kingdom’s lead and be as ambitious as possible in setting its 2035 emissions reduction target, Britain’s top diplomat in Australia has urged.

It comes as experts say it’s crucial now more than ever for Australia to prove itself as a “responsible middle power” and reinforce global climate cooperation, given president-elect Donald Trump has pledged to walk away from the Paris Agreement and wind back US emissions-reduction policies.

Australia must submit its 2035 emissions reduction targets by next year, with the Government previously indicating it would do so by February – however recent hints suggest that could be pushed back.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remained coy as recently as Thursday about what the figure would look like, and whether it would be revealed before the next Federal election, due by May. He said his focus was on the legislated 2030 target of 43 per cent.

Previous modelling done for the Climate Change Authority found Australia would need a target of between 65 and 75 per cent target in order to limit warming below 1.5 degrees, but the Authority has not yet handed over its final recommendation.

Britain’s High Commissioner to Australia Vicki Treadell said the UK – which has a 2035 target of 78 per cent – recognised targets were ultimately up to individual countries but wanted to work with Australia to have “greater ambition”.

“You will have an election next year, and whoever comes into Government, we will further encourage (them to be ambitious) – particularly as Australia hopes to host Cop 31 (in 2026),” she told The Nightly.

“We know from our own experience if you’re going to host a COP, it requires a leadership role, to walk the talk yourself.

“So we will re-engage next year, and continue to work with Australia to support the ambitions and see what we can do, and what we can share from our own experience.”

Australia, which wants to co-host the Cop 31 event with Pacific nations, is vying against Türkiye to host the 2026 climate conference.

There are expectations a final decision will be made this month at Cop 29 in Azerbaijan.

Climate Council fellow Wes Morgan said if Australia was successful, global expectations “would be high”, and added the Government should look to set a target “at least as ambitious as the UK”.

He said the stakes were now even higher given Mr Trump’s victory, and warned the Government needed to push the incoming Administration to ensure there’s little damage to the progress on global climate policy.

“If you have Donald Trump threatening to walk away from a multilateral agreement like the Paris Agreement, then it’s in Australia’s national interest to reinforce global cooperation on climate change,” he told The Nightly.

“One of the best ways to do that is by setting a strong and ambitious target.

“It’s time for Australia to display responsible middle-power diplomacy. Hosting COP is our chance to bolster global cooperation on climate change and work with other responsible middle powers to ensure we don’t lose previous global cooperation on climate change, which is in our interest.”

Mr Albanese, asked this week if Australia would need to adjust its climate and energy policies following Mr Trump’s win, backed in his Government’s agenda.

“Even if you were a climate sceptic and didn’t believe any of the science and didn’t notice that there were more floods and more bushfires and more cyclones – it would still be good policy because it will produce the cheapest form of energy,” he said.

Climate is set to be a big feature of the G20 and APEC summits in South America over the coming fortnight, both of which Mr Albanese will attend.

While the Government has previously promised to announce the emissions reduction target by February, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen last month would not commit to releasing the figure before the election, due by May.

He hinted he may not do so until later next year.

“Countries around the world are indicating different timelines to me about when they might put theirs out,” he said last month.

“I expect some to start this year, but far from a majority. I expect some countries will put their targets out later next year. We’ll see what countries do.”

Earlier this week, a number of independent MPs called on the Federal Government and the Coalition to come clean to voters about their 2035 targets before the election.

North Sydney MP Kylea Tink said Australians deserved transparency.

“Ultimately, Australians deserve to know exactly how committed the major parties are to climate action before they go to the poll,” she said.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has indicated he would scrap the legislated 2030 target of 43 per cent if he won the next election, but won’t announce a replacement until after the next election.