Chris Bowen gets a reality check on renewable energy from Andrew Bolt as he flies to controversial climate change conference in Dubai

Energy Minister Chris Bowen joins as many as 70,000 people flying to Dubai to discuss action on climate change, while Sky News presenter Andrew Bolt delivers scathing criticism of the latest trip.

Mr Bolt said the fact that Cop28 would fly in 70,000 people, double the number present at the previous 2022 UN climate conference in Egypt, was “an elaborate and stupid joke”.

Mr Bowen will be joined by Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Senator Jenny McAllister as part of a 48-strong government delegation.

Opposition Shadow Energy Minister Ted O’Brien will lead a separate opposition contingent and deliver a speech to the World Nuclear Association.

The opposition has stepped up calls for nuclear power in Australia, but Mr Bowen has dismissed the idea as a “fantasy wrapped in delusion accompanied by utopia”.

Instead, the Albanian government will focus on sustainable energy projects such as wind, solar, battery and hydropower projects.

Bolt has blasted Bowen’s oft-repeated claim that renewables are “the cheapest form of energy”, calling the claim “absolute nonsense”.

He also cited a quote from AGL CEO Markus Brokhof that contradicted Mr Bowen’s claim, at least in the shorter time frames.

“There is a bit of misunderstanding at the moment when people say that renewables will be cheaper and that this will lead to lower generation costs,” Mr Brokhof said.

‘That’s wrong. In the short and medium term, this will lead to higher costs.’

Bolt mocked the Cop28, which he said was a “quasi-religious” gathering to “worship the climate gods” and accused attendees of being part of a climate activist and pro-industry group.

‘Bowen says renewables are cheaper and save you money. The guy who makes your electricity says, no, it costs more.

‘Who tells the truth? Check your accounts during the year and you will find out who is scamming you, Bolt advised his viewers.

‘That’s the problem with this government, they are so carried away by ideology that the facts don’t seem to count.

The choice of the UAE has proven controversial.

The UAE is the eighth largest exporter of fossil fuels in the world, producing more than 4 million barrels of oil per day.

The hydrocarbon sector accounts for a quarter of the small Arab state’s GDP, half of its exports and 80 percent of government revenues

With fuel prices well below international market prices and subsidies to enable near-continuous air conditioning in many homes, buildings and public spaces, the country is also one of the world’s largest emitters of CO2 emissions per capita.

On the eve of the conference, the BBC reported leaked documents showing that the UAE used its role as host and chairman of the conference to secure oil and gas deals.

The BBC reported that UAE COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber has continued in his role as CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

Leaked documents provided to the BBC ‘by a whistleblower’ reveal that Al Jaber and his COP28 leadership team plan to use their access as host and presidency to increase exports of Adnoc’s oil and gas.

The COP28 talks will focus on efforts to reach agreement on climate change pledges made by governments should be extended to emissions from all economic activities, including for example food and agriculture.

Efforts will also be made to make countries more accountable for the promises they make.

Meanwhile, Mr Bowen is accused of trying to cover up a report that blasts his government’s carbon emissions targets and claims.

The annual climate change declaration table in parliament on Thursday showed Australia’s carbon emissions rose by 3.6 million tonnes in the year to June compared to the previous 12 months, and the country is off track to achieve the reduction targets.

However, Mr Bowen stressed that the country is “within reasonable distance” of the Albanian government’s target of cutting emissions by 43 percent by 2030.

“Thanks to the policies we have announced and are currently implementing, Australia’s emissions are expected to be 42 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, compared to 40 percent in last year’s forecasts,” Bowen told parliament.

‘The fact is that our goals are ambitious because they require a major effort over the next seven years.’

Despite Mr Bowen’s optimism, the report made clear that current trends needed to be dramatically reversed to meet the 2030 targets.

To reach the 2030 target, Australia will need to decarbonise an average of 17 million tonnes of carbon every year, but in the year to June emissions have risen, not fallen.

‘Australia emitted 467 million tonnes (Mt) of CO2-e in the year ending June 2023, which is 116 Mt CO2-e more than the level we need to reach by 2030 if we are to meet the Agreement’s target Paris of a 43% reduction below 2005 levels,” the report said.

Mr O’Brien accused Mr Bowen of trying to sneak the damning report through by not submitting it well in advance to allow scrutiny, but letting other MPs look at it “just a few hours ago” .

“The minister didn’t even have the courage to be honest with the Australian people on this issue,” Mr O’Brien said.

“He didn’t even mention it in his speech.

“This minister is relying on the dark arts of politics with all the smoke and mirrors…a distraction here,” Mr O’Brien said.

He also claimed that investment in clean energy “has fallen to the lowest level since such figures have been recorded.”

“Wind and battery levels are below a tenth of the pace Labor needs to meet its target,” Mr O’Brien said, citing the Clean Energy Council’s report for the September quarter.