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Greens leader Larissa Waters called a government climate risk report released Monday "terrifying reading" and criticized the Labor government for approving major fossil fuel projects while contemplating weak 2035 emission reduction targets.
Waters told ABC Afternoon Briefing the report painted a bleak picture of Australia's climate future, including quadrupling heat waves and 1.5 million people facing homes inundated by sea level rise.
"It's just very sobering," Waters said. "But what I take heart from is that the government still has the opportunity to have strong 2035 pollution targets to try to avert some of the worst of what's in the report today."
The government is expected to announce its 2035 emissions reduction target later this week, with speculation mounting about the figure after months of internal deliberation.
Waters expressed concern about rumors the target could be "as low as the 50s or 60s," saying such levels would ensure "everything in this report will come to pass."
"The quadrupling of those heat waves, one and a half million people having their homes inundated by sea level rise, absolute collapse of our agricultural sector, not to mention our tourism sector and nature itself," Waters said.
The Greens leader's comments came as the opposition called for "credible" climate targets while criticizing what they termed "alarmist language" from the government.
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Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and acting shadow energy minister Ted O'Brien said in a joint statement that climate change demands global action but warned against policies that impose excessive costs on households and businesses.
"We need to reduce emissions, but not at any cost," the statement read. "If Labor cannot outline the cost and a credible pathway, why should Australians trust them not to force households and small businesses to pay even more?"
The Coalition politicians said the 2035 target must be accompanied by transparent costings and accused Labor of using climate concerns to distract from other policy failures.
"What Australians do not need is alarmist language being used to distract from Labor's failures," they said.
Waters criticized recent government approvals for major fossil fuel projects, specifically targeting Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek's Friday approval of what Waters called "Australia's biggest dirty gas project."
"It's an absolute carbon bomb and they ticked that off and now a few days later releasing a climate risk report," Waters said. "It's like there's some internal cognitive dissonance with the government."
The project, developed by Woodside, would "create as much emissions as all of our coal-fired power stations put together," according to Waters.
She also referenced the recent approval of a Glencore coal mine, saying the pattern of approvals contradicted the government's climate rhetoric.
"The climate minister is saying some half-decent words, but their actions are approving Glencore's coal mine just a week ago, final approval for Woodside's dirty gas project," Waters said.
Environment groups have called for a 75% reduction in emissions by 2035, while Waters said science demands zero pollution by that date to keep warming below two degrees.
"The science says if we want to keep to below two degrees of warming, above which all of those awful impacts like fires, heatwaves, droughts, inundation, if we want to keep below that, then we need zero pollution by 2035," she said.
When pressed about whether a target in the 60s would be acceptable, Waters said only major polluters would find such levels satisfactory.
"I don't think a target in the 60s, anyone would find that acceptable except Woodside or Glencore or the big polluters," she said.
The interview also touched on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's decision to close his electorate office following ongoing protests related to the conflict in Gaza.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles blamed the Greens for the protests, telling ABC Radio that "no lives have been saved" through the blockading strategy.
Waters defended the right to peaceful protest while deflecting responsibility for the office closure.
"I think people feel like this government has not been listening to them on Australia doing everything it should do on genocide, and peaceful protest is a fundamental part of our democracy," she said.
She suggested the Prime Minister's focus on relocating his office was misplaced given larger climate challenges.
"I just think it's a bit rich of the Prime Minister to try to focus on his own relocation when there's one and a half million people that might have to be relocated under the climate scenario that his government is putting into being," Waters said.
The Greens leader emphasized that alternatives to fossil fuels exist, listing solar, wind, geothermal and pumped hydro as viable renewable options.
"We've got amazing solar, wind, geothermal, pumped hydro. We've got a whole range of renewable potentials," she said.
Waters acknowledged that a transition away from gas would be necessary but criticized the government's approval pattern for new projects.
"Of course we need a transition, but what we're talking about is not just approving virtually every single coal and gas project that passes over the desk of this government," she said.
The debate over climate targets comes as Australia faces increasing pressure to align its policies with international climate commitments and scientific recommendations.
The opposition statement noted that Australia "cannot make a difference on its own, but we must play our part" while emphasizing the need for global coordination on climate action.
The Coalition is conducting a post-election review that includes reconsidering its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, adding uncertainty to the political climate consensus.
Waters concluded her interview by urging the Prime Minister to consider his legacy on climate action.
"If he wants a legacy to be proud of, then a strong climate target and saying no to coal and gas companies and saying yes to community safety, that's the kind of legacy that he could be proud of," she said.
The government's 2035 target announcement is expected to set the framework for Australia's climate policy leading into the next federal election, with both major parties positioning themselves on the balance between environmental action and economic concerns.
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