Some of Australia’s most prominent business, industry, and community leaders have issued an open letter to state and federal MPs, urging them to abandon the “net zero smokescreen” and adopt policies that will drive investment in real decarbonisation.
Published in newspapers, the letter calls for an end to government subsidies and approvals for fossil fuel projects, arguing that current policies favour a handful of fossil fuel companies while undermining broader efforts to transition to clean energy.
Instead, the signatories advocate for “real zero” —a commitment to completely phasing out fossil fuels rather than relying on offsets and future technologies.
The letter is signed by key figures including Andrew Forrest, CEO of Fortescue; Noel Pearson, lawyer and founder of the Cape York Partnership; Simon Sheikh, CEO of Future Super; and Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children.
Signatories span various sectors, including resources, retail, and superannuation, reflecting a broad coalition of support for stronger climate action.
According to the letter, achieving “real zero” requires:
- A clear deadline for ending fossil fuel use, without relying on offsets.
- Rapid reductions in fossil fuel consumption and absolute greenhouse gas emissions, rather than delays tied to future technological promises.
- A managed end to fossil fuel production, including the phase-out of subsidies.
Polly Hemming, Director of the Climate & Energy Program at The Australia Institute, welcomed the letter, stating that it aligns with the growing number of Australian businesses making voluntary climate commitments.
“A critical mass of Australian businesses have declared their support for or signed voluntary climate commitments aligned with 1.5 degrees of global warming. It is welcome to see the private sector actually start to align their advocacy with these existing commitments,” Hemming said.
She emphasised the need for ambitious policy shifts, warning that current government-backed incentives for fossil fuel expansion contribute to greenwashing rather than genuine emissions reductions.
“To have any chance of staying within the liveable bounds of climate change, we must all be as ambitious as we say we are. ‘Real Zero’ must be the aspiration. Real zero must be the goal,” she added.
The letter comes on the eve of the Climate Integrity Summit at Parliament House, where discussions on climate policy and corporate accountability are set to take centre stage.
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