Nationals Abandon Net Zero, Igniting Coalition Climate Wars
Sunday 02 november,2025
News Agreggator Report compiled by Gemini/Fact Checking A.Ritenis
Image of Nationals Climate Change Presser AAP
CANBERRA—Australia’s conservative political landscape was thrown into fresh turmoil over the weekend after the National Party’s federal parliamentarians unanimously voted to officially scrap their commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown with their Coalition partners, the Liberal Party.
The decision, formalised at a party room meeting on Sunday, November 2, 2025, follows a Saturday vote by the party’s federal council to abandon the net-zero mandate from their official platform. The Nationals had originally agreed to the 2050 target under former leader Barnaby Joyce in 2021, but the policy has since become a major sticking point, particularly following the Coalition’s loss of inner-city seats to climate-focused independents.
The New Policy: Tying Cuts to OECD Average
Nationals Leader David Littleproud defended the shift, arguing the net-zero goal was economically detrimental to regional and low-income Australians and was unrealistic given Australia’s small contribution to global emissions.
“We the National Party have found our voice today,” Littleproud told reporters after the meeting. “We are not walking away from reducing emissions, but we’ve got to do it in a better, fairer, cheaper way for all Australians.”
The party’s new climate policy pivots away from the 2050 target toward a focus on adaptation and energy security. Crucially, the Nationals have proposed that Australia’s emissions cuts should be tied to the average reduction pace of similar developed nations within the OECD. While Littleproud declined to put a specific number on the reduction, a supporting report suggested this would equate to roughly a 30–40 per cent reduction by 2035, significantly lower than the Albanese Government’s current interim goal of 62–70 per cent.
The Nationals’ new platform also includes controversial proposals such as the revival of government subsidies for coal and gas power stations and repealing the federal Climate Change Act.
Fallout with the Liberals
The unanimous decision by the junior Coalition partner immediately heaped pressure on the senior Liberal Party, which is still conducting its own review of its climate and energy policy under leader Sussan Ley.
Liberal MPs, particularly those representing moderate and urban electorates, fear that the Nationals’ move to abandon a widely accepted international target will further alienate voters who prioritise climate action. One Liberal source, speaking anonymously, described the Nationals’ pre-emptive announcement as “bullying tactics.”
Opposition spokesperson Angie Bell, however, maintained the Liberals would conduct their own independent policy process, stating, “We’re not beholden to the National party.” The chasm between the two parties now presents the deepest policy division in the Coalition since the last election, raising the prospect of the conservative bloc entering the next election with two conflicting climate policies.
Federal Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen condemned the move, calling it a “betrayal” of regional Australians who stand to benefit from the clean energy transition. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young was equally scathing, describing the policy as “ridiculous” and warning that it “abandons Australia’s role as a serious player in our region.”
The debate now moves to how the two Coalition partners can manage this irreconcilable split ahead of the next federal election.
