It has become abundantly clear that federal Labor’s net-zero deadlines mean nothing. Despite promising to act on the climate emergency, its approach to climate action are hollow threats of “reform” that enable coal and gas companies to continue profiting and growing.

In the lead-up to the COP31 summit, students are demanding better.

The net-zero initiative, which Labor has signed, commits it to reduce emissions 62-70% below 2005 levels by 2035, and achieve net-zero by 2050.

The Climate Council, among others, say this timescale to reduce polluting carbon emissions going into the atmosphere is not only not fast enough to limit the temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels — as the 2015 Paris Agreement sets out.

But global climate pollution is not being cut fast enough and Australia is one of the main culprits.

The NSW Independent Planning Commission has just approved the Hunter Valley Operations Continuation Project on September 30, despite regional communities, including some in the industry, campaigning for sustainable jobs elsewhere.

Another 800 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from this giant coal mine will contribute to the climate emergency.

Climate Council Councillor........

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