Energy and global warming debates have dominated Australia's election campaign, with many voters calling for change.
by Max Walden
Melbourne, Australia - Non-renewable fossil fuels still account for about  85 percent of Australia's electricity generation. But with 2019 bringing the hottest summer on record and increasing extreme weather events, many voters are calling for change as the country prepares to pick its next prime minister and parliament on Saturday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison's centre-right Liberal-National Coalition is seeking a third-straight term in power, but polls have shown Bill Shorten's opposition Labor Party clinging to a narrow lead. The left-wing Greens Party is expected to remain the third force in the country's politics.
"Australia doesn't solve climate change by itself," Morrison insisted last week during the final party leaders' election campaign debate.
"It actually does its bit in concert with other countries."
But Australia is one of the world's largest per capita emitters - producing some 1.3 percent of global carbon emissions in 2017 with only 0.3 of the world's population.
"Climate change is shaping up to be a number one issue in this federal election," said Kelly Albion, the head of campaigns at the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, attributing this to "young people as a moral voice for action on the greatest issue facing our generation".
Read the full Al Jazeera article including commentary by Prof Mark Howden.