Barnaby Joyce and other leading opponents of net zero by 2050 want Australia to build new coal-fired power plants, focus on gas and nuclear energy and abandon all efforts to cut carbon emissions.
As the former Nationals leader pushes a private member’s bill to block net zero – sparking new divisions within the Liberals and Nationals this week – he said any long-term emissions reduction from renewables would not make a meaningful difference to the climate and would cost households too much.
“If you want net zero, then nuclear can give you net zero at a vastly more affordable rate than intermittents [renewable energy],” Joyce told Guardian Australia, arguing countries including China were not cutting emissions.
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“I absolutely disagree – if the rest of the world’s not doing it, if it has no global effect, then it’s a self-written economic suicide note.”
China’s emissions dipped for the first time in 2025, down 1% from their peak, amid huge government investments in renewables projects. The country is the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, but is also the world’s biggest supplier and installer of clean energy technology.
The share of coal in China’s power mix has dropped to the lowest level since 2016, to just over 50%.
Joyce’s bill is scheduled for debate in August when parliament returns for another sitting fortnight.
The Queensland Nationals senator Matt Canavan is leading the party’s review of net zero policies in the wake of the 3 May election. He said Australia should build new coal-fired power stations, like developments happening in China, the US, India and Indonesia.
“I think we should put Australians first because nothing we do is going to change any temperature of the globe one iota by not building a coal-fired power station,” Canavan said.
“But if we do build some new cheap coal-fired power stations, we just may save manufacturing jobs in this country, bring down the cost of energy and bring down the cost of everyday goods for Australians.”
According to the CSIRO’s 2024-25 GenCost report, renewables, firmed by gas and backed by transmission, remain the cheapest new form of electricity generation technology.
The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, said on Thursday the party would have a settled position within “a couple of months”.
Net zero underpins Australia’s participation in the Paris climate agreement. Independent authorities, including the CSIRO, say failing to stem carbon emissions will lead to changes in weather including extreme heat, heavy rainfall, coastal inundation, bushfires and drought, while exacerbating health and wellbeing problems and causing destruction of ecosystems and species.
Joyce has teamed up with his former rival and another ex-Nationals leader, Michael McCormack. McCormack said emissions should not be curbed at the expense of manufacturing, farming or food supply.
“By constructing tens of thousands of kilometres of transmission lines across rural and regional Australia in pursuit of a false ideology, the government is industrialising fertile rural farmland on a massive scale,” he said.
During their 48-hour split with the Liberals in May, the Nationals included nuclear energy policy as a key demand for reuniting the Coalition. Many of the opponents of net zero are advocates for nuclear being included in Australia’s energy supply.
The shadow energy and emissions reductions minister, Dan Tehan, confirmed this week his review for the Liberal party would take nine to 12 months.
“The key focus between now and Christmas is going to be on gas,” he said in a press conference with the opposition leader, Sussan Ley.
“We need to bring more gas on to the system, but also we need to explore carbon capture and storage.”
Coalition frontbencher Andrew Hastie helped win support for an anti-net zero motion at last weekend’s Western Australia Liberal state conference.
He did not respond to requests for comment from the Guardian about alternatives to net zero, but said in an email to supporters his opposition “reflects a growing concern from mainstream Australians about our expensive energy bills, unreliable supply, and the erosion of our national sovereignty”.
The former prime minister Tony Abbott is cheering on anti-net zero moves from outside parliament, including in an Institute of Public Affairs podcast this week.
“If we are in favour of net zero, all of these economy-damaging measures are justified. If we want to avoid the economy-damaging measures, perhaps we do need to make that very symbolic act of saying, ‘well, actually, we’re not committed to net zero,’” he said.
In an interview with former Canadian conservative politician Derek Fildebrandt in June, Abbott said Australia should continue to rely on fossil fuels. He said cutting emissions would cause “us to live like the Amish, or worse”.
“If climate change is approached as a moral issue, the left wins. If climate change is approached as an economic issue, the right wins,” he said.
“Yes, I accept that climate does change, that mankind does make a difference, and that we should do what we can to reduce emissions, but I would always add this critical rider – but not if it costs you your job, costs us our industries, and puts up your cost of living.”
