Anthony Albanese’s opponent vows to ditch major policy if elected prime minister… and it will make every greenie in Australia very unhappy

Peter Duton has vowed to set aside Australia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement climate changewhich angered environmentalists.

The opposition leader confirmed he will abandon a legally binding pledge to cut emissions by 43 percent by 2030 if he becomes prime minister.

The coalition has argued that sticking with the Paris Agreement is doomed to failure, destroying Australian industry in the process.

Instead, Mr Dutton said he was committed to reaching net zero by 2050, but wanted to see nuclear energy play a role in that ambition.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (pictured) has confirmed he will abandon Australia’s legally binding commitment to cut emissions by 43 percent by 2030 if he comes to power, arguing this is unachievable.

The coalition has argued that sticking with the Paris Agreement is doomed to failure, destroying Australian industry in the process (photo: a solar farm in Gunnedah, NSW).

“They (Labour) simply have no hope of achieving the objectives and there is no point in signing up for objectives that you have no prospect of achieving,” Mr Dutton said. The Australian.

He added: ‘You can’t have the Prime Minister saying, we won’t have coal, we won’t have gas and we won’t have nuclear and we’ll keep the lights on – that’s just fantasy.

“We are now having a debate about energy and I think we can win it.”

Energy Minister Chris Bowen denounced the move, saying the Paris Agreement is internationally binding.

‘Right now the countries outside the Paris agreement are Libya, Yemen and Iran. Is Mr Dutton planning to include Australia in that business now,” he said.

This criticism was echoed by environmental groups who accused the Liberal Party of taking an “extremely inappropriate” position.

“Mr Dutton’s plans would be an international embarrassment and destroy our relationships with key allies who rely on Australia to keep 1.5 degrees alive,” said Kelly O’Shanasy, CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

“Mr Dutton is also banking on a nuclear fantasy that Australia doesn’t need and Australians don’t want.”

Mr Dutton said he was determined to reach net zero by 2050 but wants nuclear power to play a role in that ambition (stock image of a nuclear power plant)

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) said Dutton ‘never took climate change seriously’

Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said withdrawing from the Paris Agreement would make Australia a “global laughingstock”.

“Dutton’s climate policies are a disaster, and the consequences for Australians would be more extreme heat, fires and floods,” she said.

“Rather than tearing up Australia’s 2030 climate targets, Peter Dutton should listen to the communities already ravaged by worsening climate disasters.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Dutton “never took climate change seriously.”

“He still won’t tell the Australian people where he plans to locate his nuclear reactors – or how much they will cost,” Albanese wrote on X.