Arabic version: كانافان يؤيد اتفاق باريس ويرفض شروط التجارة مع الاتحاد الأوروبي

According to ABC News, Nationals leader Matt Canavan supports Australia remaining in the Paris Agreement but opposes the proposed European Union free trade deal, saying its climate provisions would bind Australia to net zero. The Queensland senator said emissions should be reduced over time in ways that do not hurt the economy.

Canavan said the government was using the trade agreement as a “backdoor way” to bind Australia to net zero. Australia’s legislated target is to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. The provisional deal text includes an obligation not to materially defeat the Paris Agreement’s object and purpose, and says parties should promote measures contributing to a net-zero, low-emissions, sustainable circular economy and climate-resilient development.

He said the Paris Agreement’s binding commitments were to have a policy to reduce emissions, take measures to meet targets and report on them. But he argued that the agreement’s purpose and objectives went further, including carbon neutrality in the second half of the century. Trade Minister Don Farrell has previously said the agreement would yield $10 billion in trade and that there would be no renegotiation. It is understood the deal reaffirms existing climate obligations.

Canavan said he had texted Farrell seeking a constructive discussion. He has repeatedly argued the deal is a bad outcome for farmers, particularly dairy producers, citing European subsidies and unfair competition. The Minerals Council said the agreement would help critical-minerals companies by removing tariffs on exports to Europe, though Canavan said a company in his region had raised the carbon tax rather than European tariffs as its bigger issue. He also said he would welcome nuclear power and would prefer living beside a nuclear station to a 300-metre wind turbine.