With debate over whether Australia should commit to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 almost behind it, new young leaders in politics and universities are asking for a debate around interim targets to be taken seriously.
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Lucy Skelton, an ANU public policy student and founder of Student Voice Network, has started the Target 2035 campaign for a more ambitious target than net zero by 2050, which she says is far too late.
Young people have watched their beautiful country burn and been left feeling helpless and frustrated by as climate events continue in frequency, intensity and duration year after year, she said.
"Something has to change, and it can't keep being the climate. That's why we are fighting for our lives and livelihoods, and turning the heat to the Morrison government to take the action we not only need but deserve."
A target of 2035 would keep warming to no more than 1.5 degrees instead of the 2 degrees expected with a 2050 target.
"Beating a path to becoming net-zero by 2035 is also an opportunity to unlock a stronger future for our country, as it will create jobs, economic stimulus, and more resilient communities that are better placed to thrive and stay safe in the long-term.
"From our farmers to store managers, from families in the outback to those in inner-cities, climate change is impacting us all. And we all have so much to gain from strong, positive net-zero action. It's long past time to stop getting left behind by our government, and be put first."
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NSW Treasurer Matt Kean is supporting a 2030 interim target for Australia and has already secured support of the NSW Nationals for a target of cutting 50 per cent of emissions in his state.
On Sunday, he said a global "economic arms race" was under way in terms of the next generation of clean energy jobs, investment and exports, and urged the federal government should also upgrade its 2030 emissions target if it was to be taken seriously.
His federal colleagues should also pursue a 2030 goal that reflected the average of state emission reduction targets, which is about 35 per cent.
"I want to see the Prime Minister lead the world when it comes to taking action on climate change because it is in our economic interests to do so," Kean told ABC's Insiders program.
New analysis from the Australia Institute looks at Deloitte modelling for both 2050 and 2030 targets to understand the costs to the economy of delaying new investment in reducing emissions.
The institute's chief economist, Dr Richard Denniss, said the difference was more than $210 billion in economic benefits from the earlier target.
"It is not uncommon in Australian politics for a government that is determined to introduce a big reform to compensate some groups, but this is the first time an Australian Prime Minister has offered compensation to the very group that is imposing harm on the broader community.
"It is quite clear that investing more money in renewable energy, storage and energy efficiency over the next nine years will bring forward job creation, electricity price reductions and productivity growth. Such new investments will cause no harm to the farming or mining sectors, but will help address climate change and start creating jobs in regional areas today."
He said Scott Morrison is using climate change as an excuse to shovel taxpayer money to the National Party in exchange for them ruling out any early reforms.
"[The Nationals] are asking for billions of dollars in compensation despite the fact that they have not provided a single piece of evidence that a more ambitious 2030 target will hurt anything other than their egos," Dr Denniss said.
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