While, at first blush, getting the Coalition to sign up to net zero by 2050 was a significant achievement, on closer examination Tuesday's announcement is essentially meaningless.

Although the goal post has shifted the game plan is virtually unchanged. Previous announcables have been repackaged to persuade voters less is more when it comes to saving the planet.

COP26 was always going to be about 2030, not 2050. That was reiterated yet again by Wednesday's annual UN Emissions Gap report.

The Morrison government's failure to even consider increasing Australia's short-term target to match the latest projections of a 35 per cent reduction by 2030 is a travesty and a sop to the Nationals.

The lame excuse this wasn't taken to the 2019 election is so obviously fallacious as to be risible. The LNP mocked Labor for its commitment to net zero by 2050 during that campaign. It has now adopted the same target.

Only prompt action is going to save the world from the devastating consequences of global heating. Our Pacific neighbours will be fighting tooth and nail at Glasgow to get climate laggards such as Australia to commit to real policies to keep warming to less than 1.5 degrees. It's the only way they'll be able to keep their heads above water.

Nobody who has a child - or even knows a child - is in a position to vote for the bare-bones, do nothing, by guess and by God climate "plan" outlined on Tuesday. It is the worst kind of a political compromise and will end up as an orphan.

The Liberals will eventually be forced to disavow it, saying their hands were tied by the Nationals. The Nationals are already disavowing it.

If you believe the PM and the climate minister it's possible to achieve a climate nirvana with no taxes, no cost to the community and no pain, just all gain. It's Norman Lindsay's Magic Pudding all over again.

Unfortunately the modelling to back these assertions up is only going to be released "eventually"; presumably after the election.

While commitments to driving down the cost of greenhouse friendly new technologies and to accelerate their deployment are not without merit, we can't punt humanity's future on blind faith all will be saved by a "technological crunch".

US special presidential climate envoy John Kerry said on Monday global decarbonisation would be the "biggest transformation that has ever taken place on this planet since the industrial revolution - if we do it".

The industrial revolution destroyed industries, reduced millions to abject poverty, sparked mass migrations, accelerated colonisation and eventually led to the worst conflict in the history of mankind.

It is nave to assume it is possible to achieve a transformation on this scale without some pain. It is also irresponsible of the government to say it can be done.

The onus is now on the ALP to release a credible policy based on real action rather than a blind faith in technologies that don't exist and may never come to fruition.

It's not good enough to say, as Mr Albanese effectively did on Tuesday, "they're the government, they're the ones that need a plan, we'll announce something after Glasgow".

An election is imminent, possibly even before the end of the year. Labor needs to take a stand and soon. Yes, they are on board for net zero by 2050 but do they dare to aim for a 45 per cent reduction by 2030 again? That is, after all, what the world needs.

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