Few voters have the power to climate change than Australians.
In democracy, only the US and Canada are approaching Australia when it comes to per capita greenhouse gas emissions. The country is one of the world's largest exporters of fossil fuels that warm the planets selling huge amounts of natural gas to Asian countries as well as the most polluted fossil fuels, natural gas.
As the country holds national elections on Saturday, polls show that climate change is not the best mind for many. However, the main candidates for the Labour Party and the Free State Union have very different climate and energy policies.
The front and center are the dependence of the country's coal plants on the aging fleet, which generates its electricity.
“We've seen a lot of experience in the world,” said Andrew McIntosh, professor of environmental law and policy at Australian National University. “On one hand, there's the workforce. This suggests that we continue to increase renewables, while on the other, there's a conservative coalition that pushes the nucleus.”
Both approaches will reduce emissions, Mattintosh said, but many people scratched their heads with the nuclear program. Nuclear power plants can take more than 10 years to build, but renewable energy can be deployed in a few months.
“We need to keep running coal for years,” he said.
In some respects, analysts reflect the polarised debate in the US, where President Donald J. Trump speaks not to believe in climate science, preventing them from purifying energy as a scam. Matt McDonald, a political scientist who focused on climate issues at the University of Queensland, said:
But rather than making Australians more concerned about climate change, Trump's resentment on the issue “isn't seem to have much international momentum in dealing with this, so it removed the heat from both sides,” Dr. McDonald said.
If Australians are feeling pressured, it is due to rising energy costs for households. According to Australian energy regulators, the average price per energy unit has increased by around 60% over the past decade.
Anthony Albanese, the incumbent Prime Minister who leads the Labour Party, has set a relatively ambitious target for renewable power generation, aiming to reach more than 80% by 2030.
“But Dr. MacDonald said, “We have a lot of coal too.”
Peter Dutton, the prime opponent of Prime Minister Albanese, leads a liberal coalition of states, hoping that much of Australia's gas production will enter into domestic electricity production. Gas is a fossil fuel, but is significantly less pollutant than coal. Dutton suggests that gas producers be forced to sell some of the output to the Australian grid, while at the same time halving the timeline for approving new drilling projects.
Typically, both parties support gas development. Australia is the second largest gas exporter in the world after the US.
Polls showing close races could potentially say that the country's Green Party and so-called Teal Independents are both enthusiastic supporters of strong climate policy, but could become kingmakers of Congress. “If they hold on to the seat they already have, they'll be in a position to push the climate harder — like reducing coal exports,” Dr. MacDonald said.
The last wrinkle you can feel around the world is whether Australia will host the annual United Nations-sponsored Global Climate Conference next year, whether it is a well-known event with the acronym COP. Australia is currently competing with Türkiye to host an event. The event is a position with geopolitical fame and economic benefits hosting tens of thousands of representatives.
Host countries usually set a tone for consultation ambitions, and Prime Minister Albanese's government lobbyed other countries for more than a year to support Australia's bids. “If they are elected, it definitely won't happen under the coalition,” Dr. MacDonald said.
