Part 5/9:
While Australia's political class remains embroiled in debate over its climate goals, external figures like Donald Trump have taken a hardline stance on renewable energy initiatives. Trump, known for his skepticism of climate change policies, dismissed Australia's pursuit of net zero as a costly and impractical fantasy, often dismissing solar and wind as "con jobs."
He accentuated what many critics argue: that renewable energy sources are expensive, unreliable, and heavily reliant on Chinese manufacturing. Trump pointed out that wind turbines and solar panels are often nearing the end of their lifespan, are difficult to dispose of, and are embedded with fibers that can't be safely buried, raising environmental concerns about waste.