Net-zero deal heat on ScoMo

A DEAL committing Australia to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 is unlikely to be landed this week, narrowing the window for Scott Morrison to lock in the target before the Glasgow climate summit.

The Prime Minister will head to Europe at the end of next week as pressure mounts on him to finalise the net-zero plan, having already indicated that he will not follow the US and the UK in lifting Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction ambition.

Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce said on Tuesday Mr Morrison had “definitely got a mandate” from the Liberal party room for the 2050 target, but he and his MPs remained cautious about signing up.

He said the decision was the “prerogative of the Prime Minister” and the Nationals would not be “bullying” or “coercing” him to walk away from the plan ahead of Glasgow.

Mr Morrison told parliament that Australia faced “very difficult global economic challenges” over the next 30 years, but he was confident the transition to net zero would be a “great positive” for the country.