Australia Passes Climate Laws Targeting Worst Polluters

Australia’s parliament has passed climate laws targeting the nation’s worst polluters.

The law is also forcing coal mines and oil refineries to curb emissions by about 5 per cent each year.

The laws apply to 215 major industrial facilities, each producing more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year and form the backbone of Australia’s pledge to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Australia’s Climate Council has estimated that 215 facilities are responsible for almost 30 per cent of the country’s total emissions.

Experts on Thursday said the laws signalled the end of Australia’s bitter “climate wars”.

Australia’s Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen told lawmakers; “What the parliament has done today is safeguard our climate, safeguard our economy, and safeguard our future.

“What the parliament has done today is brought an end to 10 years of dysfunction and 10 years of delay.”

Australia’s economy is fuelled by mining and coal exports, and it is among the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide per capita in the world.