NT government backflips on 2030 emissions reduction target promise
The Country Liberal Party (CLP) committed to a 43 per cent reduction in the NT's greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, six weeks out from the 2024 territory election.
Then in opposition, the CLP's policy was in contrast to Territory Labor, which did not promise a 2030 emissions reduction target.
Both major parties went into the election promising net zero emissions by 2050.
At the time, the CLP was lauded by the Environment Centre NT for having "the strongest climate policy" of the two major parties.
But in NT budget estimates on Wednesday, Environment Minister Josh Burgoyne said the CLP government had not adopted its promised 2030 emissions target.
"[The 2030 target] is not current government policy," he said.
"There's the [overarching] target of that net zero by 2050, which has yet to change."
Under Australia's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change, the country is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030.
While in opposition, the CLP also supported Labor's legislated 50 per cent renewable energy target, but scrapped that in March.
During a CLP central council meeting at the weekend, party delegates passed a motion supporting the abandonment of net zero and a withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
In a social media post, CLP Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said the "current impact of these polices" did not "justify their burden of everyday Aussies".
"It's high time we did something about it," she said.
"While it's important to steward our country and environment well, that should not come at the cost of our economy and way of life."
However, when asked in budget estimates about the central council meeting motion, Mr Burgoyne said the NT government was still committed to net zero.
"Our position on net zero emissions has not changed since the position we took to the election," he said.
"There's been no formal information provided by my department in regards to a changing in regards to net zero."
During budget estimates, the NT government's executive director of environment, Paul Purdon, said the department was finalising a "first-look" assessment of climate risks in the territory.
Mr Purdon said the assessment would be focused on future liveability in the NT, looking at "themes" such as community health and wellbeing, economic sustainability and natural disaster readiness.
Asked why there was a lack of money for climate mitigation measures allocated in the NT budget in May, Mr Burgoyne said the assessment first needed to be finalised.
"We need to first assess those risks, deal with the issues which we face here in the NT, and ensure our government, through our departments, are dealing with them in the best way possible," he said.
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