"President Trump: You have so much influence and power in this situation. Please use [it] to help us."

With Peter Dutton’s views on climate change in the spotlight, the focus has turned onto whether there will be any policies to reduce emissions in the next decade * Polls tracker; election guide; full federal election coverage * Anywhere but Canberra; interactive electorates guide * Listen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: Gina * Get our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcast The Coalition is refusing to say if it will introduce any policies to cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade as it pledges to unwind most climate measures introduced under Labor. Peter Dutton’s position on the climate crisis came under scrutiny last week after he gave contradictory answers on whether he accepted mainstream climate science. Asked during a leaders’ debate on the ABC whether extreme weather events were worsening, the opposition leader said: “I don’t know because I’m not a scientist”. Dropping a Labor goal of 82% of electricity coming from renewable generation by 2030 and slowing the roll out of solar and wind farms, in part by scrapping a “rewiring the nation” fund to build new transmission connections. Instead, it says the country would rely on more fossil fuels – coal and gas-fired power – until it could lift a ban on nuclear energy and build taxpayer-owned nuclear generators, mostly after 2040. Abolishing fines for car companies that do not meet targets to cut the average emissions from the new cars they sell. Not supporting Labor’s 2030 emissions reduction target. Former diplomats say lowering the target would put Australia in breach of commitments made in the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Opposing a joint Australia-Pacific bid to host a major UN climate summit in Adelaide next year. Continue reading...