The Net Zero Illusion : Why Climate Policy Is Failing Us by Ashley Goldsworthy AO OBE

Foreword by Dr. Peter Ridd

ISBN 9781923568228

February 2026 release, $29.99

Paperback, 150 pages

In the coming decades, historians may look back on the early twenty-first century as a time when much of the Western world lost its bearings. Net Zero confronts that moment head-on. In this timely and provocative book, Professor Ashley Goldsworthy challenges the assumptions, contradictions and political incentives that underpin today’s climate and energy policies, particularly the pursuit of net-zero emissions.

Unlike many works that focus narrowly on climate science, Goldsworthy widens the lens. He examines the political, economic and institutional forces that have driven net-zero from a contested idea into an unquestioned orthodoxy, despite mounting evidence of its costs and unintended consequences. From soaring energy prices in countries with high renewable penetration to the strategic folly of unilateral action while major emitters forge ahead, Net Zero asks the questions too many leaders avoid.

Goldsworthy brings rare authority to this debate. A former Federal President of the Liberal Party of Australia (1990–1993), former CEO of major corporations, and a long-standing contributor to public and cultural life, he understands business realities, political incentives and public policy from the inside.

Clear-eyed, unsentimental and deeply informed, Net Zero is not a denial of climate complexity, but a call for realism. For policymakers, voters and anyone concerned about energy security, economic prosperity and democratic accountability, this is essential reading at a critical turning point.

“‘The Net Zero Illusion’ is a serious and timely contribution to one of the most important debates of our generation. Regardless of whether you agree with every conclusion, it is impossible to ignore the courage and clarity with which Ashley Goldsworthy challenges the prevailing orthodoxy around net zero. In an era where slogans too often replace substance, this work forces the reader to stop, think, and interrogate assumptions that have gone largely unchallenged in mainstream discourse.”
Henry Pike MP, Federal Member for Bowman, Queensland

“In this important work, Ashley Goldsworthy takes aim at Net Zero ideology to argue it is more about profit than science or practicality. He reveals how the Net Zero activists and elites have lost touch with reality and presents a serious alternative that is about preserving our nation rather than eroding it.”
Matthew Sheahan, Executive Director, Advance Australia

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