Australian parliament on Thursday passed the most significant climate-related laws to target the country’s worst polluters amid growing concern over fossil fuel exports. The so-called Safeguard Mechanism will force coal mines and oil refineries to curb emissions by about five per cent each year.
The passing of laws is a stepping stone for Australia as the nation has pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The laws apply to 215 major industrial facilities, each producing more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted, “Our Safeguard Mechanism to limit emissions and act on climate change passed Parliament this afternoon.” Albanese added, “After a decade of inaction, Australia is now on a path to net zero.”
The deal was finalised after weeks of confidential negotiation between the Labor government and the Greens, which is a minor party with 15 parliamentarians, but their support was needed to pass the laws.
The left-wing Greens party were sceptical over the law being able to stop some new gas and coal development proposals and prevention of further industry expansion.
However, they agreed to back the plan after persuading the government to put a hard cap on emissions. Greens leader Adam Bandt said the move compelled oil and gas corporations to slash their emissions “for the first time ever in law”.
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Australia’s Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen told MPs: “What the parliament has done today is safeguard our climate, safeguard our economy and safeguard our future.”
“What the parliament has done today is brought an end to 10 years of dysfunction and 10 years of delay.”
Aluminium smelters, coal mines, oil refineries and other large polluters will be forced to cut their emissions by 4.9 per cent each year.
University of New South Wales sustainability expert Tommy Wiedmann told the news agency AFP that “it’s the first time greenhouse gas emissions reduction has been written into Australian law.”
“That’s obviously a good thing. We have a climate policy now,” Wiedmann added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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