<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/07/media-political-attacks-australia-emissions-target-climate-obstruction-playbook-newscorp-business-council>
"Political and media attacks on renewable energy and climate action in
Australia in recent months have come “out of the climate obstruction playbook”
that has been honed over decades around the world by fossil fuel interests.
Prof Christian Downie, an Australian researcher, says he has studied techniques
used by business groups and lobbyists all over the world which are now being
seen in Australia.
Renewable energy and policies to reach net zero emissions came under sustained
attack from some quarters as the Albanese government considered its 2035
climate target and the Coalition was put under pressure internally to drop net
zero targets.
Downie, an expert on coordinated efforts to undermine warnings of the risks of
climate change and slow the global transition away from fossil fuels, pointed
to the Business Council of Australia, which released widely reported modelling
as the Albanese government prepared to set its 2035 climate target, warning an
ambitious target would require $530bn of capital spending.
Australian scientists who prepared the country’s first national climate risk
assessment were accused of scaremongering on the front pages of two News Corp
newspapers by a fellow at a US-based thinktank with a history of criticising
climate science.
“What we’ve seen in recent months is very much consistent with empirical
evidence that we’ve gathered from around the world on how groups obstruct
climate action,” Downie said.
“This is straight out of the climate obstruction playbook.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
