Asked if he would commit to net zero emissions by 2050,a target already embraced by other world leaders,Mr Morrison declined to answer and did not say whether he would attend the United Nations summit on climate due to be held in Glasgow in November.
“I will not be asking people in the regions of this country to carry the burden for the country alone,” Mr Morrison said.
“I will be ensuring that we have a plan that addresses their critical needs,that addresses their anxieties,and seeks to bring the whole country with us on this very important task that we have together.”
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Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is holding out on a commitment to net zero by 2050 amidfears within the Nationals,and among someconservative Liberals,that farmers and the resources sector would pay the price for higher targets.
Some Nationals want greater incentives for rural communities,such as payments for farmers who use their land to reduce emissions,before they could consider the 2050 target rather than the existing government policy of reaching net zero emissions at some point by 2100.
Mr Morrison said the government would revise its targets in time for the Glasgow summit but did not indicate the level of ambition he wanted.