Australia's Coal Industry To Stay For Decades, Says Scott Morrison

JAKARTADAILY.ID - Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has said that the Glasgow Climate Pact will not stop Australia's coal industry, asserting that it will continue for decades.

The statement was in contrast to that of British prime minister Boris Johnson who said the pact at the COP26 climate summit, agreed by almost 200 countries, was coal power's "death knell."

Countries agreed to "phase down" rather than "phase out" the use of coal power, following an intervention from India to water down the agreement.

"No, I don't believe it did," Morrison answered reporters in Sydney on Monday when asked whether he agreed with Johnson.

"For all of those who are working in that industry in Australia, they'll continue to be working in that industry for decades to come."

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said that the world still needed coal power. Therefore, Australia had to take advantage of its strong demands.

"You've got record prices and record volumes, so if the world's buying it, there's a market for it," Joyce said from Singleton, New South Wales.

"If they say the world is transitioning away from [coal], well, you'll see that at the Port of Newcastle and you'll see that at the Port of Gladstone — but it's not happening."

Despite the agreement, Morrison insisted that Australia would not change its 2030 emissions reduction target to protect its economic interest.

"Well, all that happened at COP26 was all countries noted a request to revisit these things," Morrison said. "But I've been very clear about what our target is, and that we will meet and beat it."

"We're not starting to change targets for 2030] because we've got to earn a buck. If people want to be poor, that's the goal … then stop exporting the stuff that earns the dollars."