May we discuss 'net zero' 2050?

Fire and virus challenge Australia's vaunted "economic miracle". Is 2.75-3 per cent growth still going to return, as the Treasury and RBA have forecast monotonously? Or, will wealthy nations finally have to lower their growth horizons?

Australians, it seems, want coal exit, energy transition and Net Zero. The first two are plenty difficult enough. The third is something else.

It assumes bold science and engineering fixes, to ensure full-on renewable energy. It repurposes the struggling environment, as a high-performance carbon-sink. To that sink, it confidently assigns the permanence, to mop up pesky human emissions.

Aspirational Net Zero looks like yet another proxy, for expansive growth on a non-expansive planet. As if we can grow to ten billion total, lift billions (of low-emitters) out of poverty, then sprint to the line for 2050.