Politics with Michelle Grattan
News:Politics
This month Alan Finkel ends his term as Australia's Chief Scientist.
An entrepreneur, engineer, neuroscientist, and educator in his former life, Finkel describes the role he's held since 2016 as consisting of two activities.
There's "reviewing" – briefing government on all matters scientific, including energy and climate change. And then there's "making things up" – developing programs to support the communication of science, technology, innovation, and research across the community.
Writing for The Conversation, Finkel expresses confidence Australia will achieve the "dramatic reduction in emissions" that is "necessary".
However the road has not been easy, with many political setbacks.
"I was certainly somewhat personally disappointed, and disappointed for the country, that the Clean Energy Target wasn't adopted," Finkel tells the podcast.
"On the other hand, I took a lot of comfort from the fact that the other 49 out of 50 recommendations [in his report] were accepted and adopted and most of them have been implemented."
"Those recommendations – a lot of them have been part of the reason that we've been able to introduce solar and wind electricity at extraordinary rates in the last three years."
The debate currently is whether Australia will sign up for zero net emissions by 2050. While Finkel says "that's a question for politicians, not for me", he adds that "we're taking the right measures already consistent with a drive towards zero or low emissions".
These measures, he says, involve cheaper batteries, solar, wind, pumped hydro, and gas as a "backstop", as we transition out of coal fire electricity.
Asked if a new coal-fired power station project could ever be started, Finkel said that to comply with carbon capture and storage, the cost of electricity from the plant would be "five or six times higher" than electricity produced by solar and wind.
"I would never predict anything...but I can say with some degree of confidence that that economics would be challenging". His message was clear.
Mustering the government’s rural rump into the 2050 tent
Grattan Institute’s Tony Wood on managing the shift in climate policy
Word from The Hill: A prime minister, a prince and the ‘last chance saloon’.
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Former judge Stephen Charles slams government’s integrity commission model
The push to run independents on issues of climate and integrity
Coalition free-for-all over 2050 target
British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell on AUKUS and climate change
Word from The Hill: The Furious French and Porter‘s fall
Word from The Hill: Christian Porter’s anonymous money pot
Kate Jenkins on the women‘s agenda
Word from the Hill: A Father‘s Day backlash hits Scott Morrison
Word from The Hill: Learning to live with COVID
Pat Turner on COVID – and god botherers – stalking Indigenous communities
Doherty’s Sharon Lewin on pivoting from chasing COVID zero
Word from the Hill: The battle to exit COVID
Word from The Hill: Was the Afghanistan War worth it?
Anthony Albanese says Afghans in Australia should be given permanent residency
Josh Frydenberg on uncertain economic times
Word from the Hill: A reprimand for Christensen and Morrison on climate
Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers on promoting vaccine uptake and a 'modest spending program'
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