Australia’s former chief scientist is on a global lobbying blitz, ensuring the world that Australia has an emissions plan. 

Dr Alan Finkel, whose term as chief scientist expired in December, has been appointed as a special adviser on low-emissions technology. 

He has held virtual meetings with ministers and officials in the United Kingdom and United States, and plans similar sessions with Japan, South Korea and Germany.

He is using the talks to promote Australia’s plan to achieve net zero emissions as part of a diplomatic drive ahead of three major climate change summits later this year.

Dr Finkel says his mission is to “make sure we understand each other’s emissions reduction strategies” and work on potential deals for research and supply of low-emissions technologies.

“If you’re talking to a colleague, a company or even another country, you really have to be very upfront about what you’re doing and where you’re going,” Dr Finkel told reporters.

“I think Australia has actually been more successful than is appreciated and I certainly do take the opportunity to go through some of the achievements in reducing emissions Australia has had.”

World leaders have pressured Australia to adopt a net zero emissions by 2050 policy before the landmark COP26 international climate summit in Glasgow this November.

Before that, Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to attend climate talks at the White House in April and the June G7 Summit in Britain.

United Nations chief António Guterres recently told world leaders, including Australia’s, that having a plan for the phase-out of thermal coal use by 2030 will be essential to meet the Paris Agreement goals and protect future generations.

“I am calling on all governments, private companies and local authorities to take three steps. First, cancel all global coal projects in the pipeline and end the deadly addiction to coal,” Mr Guterres told the Powering Past Coal Alliance Summit last Tuesday.

“I urge all OECD countries to commit to phasing out coal by 2030 and for non-OECD countries to do so by 2040. Science tells us this is essential to meet the Paris Agreement goals and protect future generations.”

“Main emitters and coal users should announce their phase-out plans well before the Glasgow Conference. G7 members should take the lead and commit to this phase-out at the G7 June Summit at the latest.”

While the Federal Government is likely to come up with something that looks like a plan to reach net zero by 2050, the Prime Minister says that plans to achieve the target need to be practical. He says Australia’s approach will be “technology driven, not taxes driven”.

Dr Finkel says the shift away from fossil fuels must be carefully managed.

“We can't just switch it off,” he said.

“I like to say that you were to remove public health from society, you’d be back to the Renaissance. If you were to remove education from our society you’d be back to the Middle Ages. And if you remove manageable energy from society you’d be back to the Stone Age.”