WA Premier Roger Cook pulls back on WA climate change targets, says emissions may rise
Western Australia’s Premier Roger Cook has watered down his government’s promise to introduce climate target legislation, saying the state won’t be “shackled” if its emissions help the world decarbonise.
WA is already the only state in the country without a 2030 emissions reduction target.
Legislation to introduce a target for 2035 was introduced last year, but has languished in parliament and was not debated before the March state election, which the Cook Labor government emphatically won.
Mr Cook said any legislation introduced in WA would need to be carefully considered.
“Because there’s national legislation which will have us at net zero by 2050 which we are captured by … so we won’t necessarily gain anything by having state legislation,” he said.
The premier said he wanted the state to help with global decarbonisation efforts.
“Our critical minerals, our iron ore, and particularly the development of green iron through the through the use of renewable energies, is a huge opportunity for the globe,” he said.
“I’m not going to shackle Western Australia to legislation which damages our efforts to help the globe to decarbonise and reduce emissions.
“If we are going to process more iron ore in Western Australia as part of our green energy future, well, then you will see Western Australia’s emissions potentially rise.”
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