Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Methane is 80 times more potent in capturing heat than CO2 in the first 20 years, yet Australia does not enforce international best practice when it comes to measurement and capture of methane. Will you support implementing international best practice in measurement and abatement of methane, as I've proposed in the amendments to the safeguard mechanism, in light of the dire but clear warning in the latest IPCC report that we are on track to catastrophic warming?

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. Indeed, the IPCC report today does call for urgent, substantial and sustained emissions reduction—methane and all the carbon gases, all of them. That's exactly what the government intends to do, to lock in—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Honourable members opposite might not like reducing emissions, but that's what the Australian people have voted for and that's what the world demands. That's what the world demands and that's what future generations demand, and that's exactly what we will do because what the IPCC report today reminds us is that there is agency and urgency. There is still time to hold the world as close as possible to 1.5 degrees, but we don't have long. We must act, and this week the parliament can act because in 100 days the safeguard mechanism reforms can be in place if the parliament approves them. This is the most important opportunity we have, 205 million tonnes of emissions removed from the atmosphere if the safeguard mechanism reforms pass.

I know honourable members have raised fossil fuels and resources. Today, as we speak, emissions from fossil fuel facilities covered by the safeguard system are 73 million tonnes a year. With business as usual and no reforms, they are projected to grow to 83 million tonnes a year. But if the reforms are passed, it will be 52 million tonnes, and that's the choice the parliament has—83 million or 52 million. That's the choice of parliament this week and next week, and I'll say this: last year the parliament passed the government's Climate Change Act. I thank all the members of the crossbench who supported it in this place and in the other place. This was important, and some honourable members have said, 'Forty-three is not enough.' I understand that and respect that. I respect their point of view, and I thank them for coming together with goodwill to pass that.

But know this: our projections are very clear that if the safeguard mechanism reforms are not passed then 43 per cent will not be met. Our projections show it will be 35 per cent, so if honourable members are going to call for higher targets, they are obliged to vote for action to get those targets achieved. That is the obligation for honourable members—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will resume his seat.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

you can't call for higher targets and then—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause.

Member for Wright, I want to hear from the member for Warringah on a point of order.

Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, Mr Speaker. The question went to methane specifically.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the minister to return to the question, which was a specific question. I bring the minister back to the question.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We do want to see methane emissions reduced. We want to see all carbon emissions reduced, and that's why I want to see the safeguard mechanism reforms passed. I know this: there will be no constraint on methane, there will be no constraint on the CO2, there will be no constraint on any carbon gases unless the safeguard reforms pass the parliament this fortnight. That's the case.

The honourable member is correct: methane is a very important gas for us to measure and to work with industry to see emissions reduced. That is very important, and if there are good faith suggestions I have and will continue to listen to them. But the most important thing is that these reforms pass, or it will be business as usual and business as usual is not acceptable.