Budget papers show Morrison government plans to cut climate spending if it wins election

Armed with scientific warnings about the need for all countries to rapidly scale up action to keep alive the chance of limiting global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, the Morrison government plans to cut climate spending if returned to power at the election.

The 2022-23 budget papers show it is expected to fall from $2bn next financial year to $1.9bn, $1.5bn and $1.3bn in the three years that follow. The fall represents a 35% annual cut over four years.

The cut may in part be due to a recent decision by Angus Taylor, the energy and emissions reduction minister, to allow businesses to break contracts to sell carbon credits to the government under the emissions reduction fund so they can instead sell them on the more lucrative private, voluntary market. The budget papers say this will contribute to a $2bn improvement in the budget bottom line over the next four years. That additional cash has not been redirected into other climate programs.

Taylor says the budget includes $1.3bn of spending on energy and emissions reduction, not all of it to be spent over the next four years.

The government also announced $636.4m over six years to boost the number of indigenous rangers working on land and sea management by up to 1,089, though most of the funding was not due until after 2025.

Sussan Ley, the environment minister, pledged $60m for plastic recycling, a $100m extension of an existing community-focused environment restoration fund and $128.5m as part of its promise to change how the environmental impact of development proposals are assessed.