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Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has promised that if elected, the Coalition would scrap the Government's target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent before 2030.
The opposition leader would opt instead to prioritise gas and nuclear power to help Australia reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
The opposition's policy would see Australia breach its signature to the Paris Climate Agreement, and join Iran, Libya and Yemen as the only countries in the world not abiding by the treaty signed in 2015.
"Not being in the Paris Accord would mean being an international pariah, and an investment wasteland," Climate Minister Chris Bowen said.
While current projections show Australia falling short of the 43 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, Bowen insists it's still achievable.
"Every time you set a target, you set a challenge," he said.
"Of course we have to stay the course."
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"They have no hope of achieving the targets and there's no sense signing up to targets you don't have any prospect of achieving," Dutton said today in an interview in The Australian.
Both parties would still aim to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, but the Opposition wants nuclear energy to make up the shortfall in Australia's power generation.
"The only way that Australia will achieve net zero is with nuclear in the mix," Shadow Environment Minister Ted O'Brien said.
The proposal to abandon the emissions target has been heavily criticised by conservation groups.
"It is reckless beyond imagination, to say that they are not going to be working to reduce emissions this decade," Kelly O'Shanassy from the Australian Conservation Foundation said.
Dutton's pledge set the course for an election battle on energy policy, with two vastly different plans for the future.