Only 13 per cent of Australians back zero emissions as worry about the economy surges during pandemic – and even conservative think tank urges dramatic carbon cuts as coal is in ‘permanent decline’
- Australians are more concerned with economy than climate change, says poll
- Conservative think tank called for carbon emissions to be dramatically slashed
- The cost of living and employment are a main priority for Australians right now
Australians support a low emissions future but have become more concerned about the economy than climate change during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new poll.
JWS Research has released the latest data on Australians’ views on economic, health and environment priorities, which have shifted since the pandemic hit our shores earlier this year.
The data comes after a conservative think tank called for carbon emissions to be dramatically slashed and replaced with renewable energy, claiming the end of coal-fired power generation is inevitable and now in ‘permanent decline’.
The data comes after a conservative think tank called for carbon emissions to be dramatically slashed and replaced with renewable energy (stock image)
Employment, cost of living, the economy, finances and health are more of a priority to Australians than climate change, the environment and energy costs, according to the recent research commissioned by oil and gas lobby group APPEA.
Out of 1500 Australians surveyed by JWS, 60 per cent supported a clean energy and low emissions future but only 13 per cent endorse a target of net zero emissions by 2050, The Australian reported.
Around 44 per cent of Australians said they were extremely or very concerned about climate change, compared to 50 per cent surveyed in January in the height of the horror bushfire season last summer.
‘No one is arguing against the importance of getting to net zero emissions and getting there as quickly as you can. But doing it in a way where you can generate -export revenue, taxation receipts and high-paying jobs,’ APPEA chief executive Andrew McConville told the publication.
‘People actually like having gas. They see gas as very reliable. They want energy security. We take it for granted and we shouldn’t.’
A new think tank co-founded by former government advisers and backed by former senior ministers has issued a challenge to the federal government to halve coal-fired electricity emissions in the next 10 years
A new think tank co-founded by former government advisers and backed by former senior ministers has issued a challenge to the federal government to halve coal-fired electricity emissions in the next 10 years.
The end of coal-fired power generation is inevitable and now in ‘permanent decline’, according to the BluePrint Institute report released on Monday.
The report states the latest emissions projections released by the government indicated Australia would not meet its 2030 target and that the only way to slash carbon emissions was to ‘reduce our economy’s structural reliance on them’.
‘All that’s left for the Commonwealth to decide is whether it’s willing to step up and coordinate an orderly phase-down that provides certainty for communities, workers, consumers, and investors,’ the report states.
‘We need national leadership to secure certainty for energy communities, workers, consumers, and investors around the inevitable phasedown of coal-fired generation.’
The BluePrint Institute was co-founded by advisers to former foreign minister Julie Bishop and has the backing of former Liberal ministers Robert Hill and Christopher Pyne.
The issue of coal emissions has also divided Labor at federal level.
He wants Labor’s ‘language and emphasis’ to change so that resources sector workers feel less ‘demonised’ (stock image)
Joel Fitzgibbon recently quit the Labor frontbench in protest at his party’s coal mining policies – even telling Daily Mail Australia he would challenge Anthony Albanese for the leadership if he didn’t change direction on climate change.
‘I’ve given him a big warning and another chance and we’ll see whether he can grasp that opportunity or if we’ll have to go to the next step,’ he warned.
He wants Labor’s ‘language and emphasis’ to change so that resources sector workers feel less ‘demonised’.
‘We should spend less time talking about climate change and more time talking about people’s economic welfare and their aspiration,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘People are more concerned about whether there are jobs and paying their mortgages than they are about climate change.
‘We need to stop this fascination with it and talk in the language of our traditional base.’
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