Australia’s biggest polluters will have to cut emissions by almost 5% a year until 2030

The end of “ten years of denial” ? The Australian government reached a landmark climate deal on Monday, March 27, which will force the country’s biggest polluters to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Under the deal, Australia’s 215 most polluting facilities – such as coal mines and gas-fired power stations – will have to cut their net emissions by almost 5% a year until 2030.

Fossil fuels and mining form the backbone of Australia’s economy. Attempts to cut carbon pollution have been dogged by bitter political wrangling in recent years. The center-left government finally reached this agreement, after weeks of tense negotiations with environmentalists.

Australia is finally meeting its obligations after “ten years of denial, delay and inaction”, greeted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The country is also committed to reducing its emissions by 43% before the end of 2030, which will remove some 200 million tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere, the government predicts.

“A beginning” in the face of the climate emergency

The adopted text must be submitted to Parliament this week and enter into force on July 1. Some conservationists have said the cuts are too low, while Australia’s mining industry has warned the new policy could lead to massive job losses.

For David Schlosberg, director of the Sydney Environment Institute, this plan is “better than the policy of inaction pursued by Australia for more than a decade”but that’s only“a beginning”. Australia is one of the biggest coal exporters in the world and as a result one of the biggest laggards when it comes to climate defense.