Labor election victory brings fresh climate change focus

Incoming Australian government may need Green backing and will work on creating a “university accord”

The Labor Party’s victory in the general election on 21 May is expected to shake up climate policy and research and bring changes to the way research funding is handled.

Anthony Albanese (pictured) was sworn in as prime minister on 23 May, but the full form of the government is not yet clear. It seems likely that the Australian Greens will have the balance of power in the Senate, giving them greater influence over Australia’s greenhouse gas targets. The Greens are expected to gain several lower house seats, and many of the independents who have won seats—of which there are up to a dozen—also campaigned on emissions targets.