Liberal MPs left a three-hour meeting on Friday broadly united in favour of reducing emissions while abandoning an iron-clad legislated pledge to get to net zero by 2050, but divided on whether to retain the “net zero” terminology.

Energy spokesman Dan Tehan insisted after the meeting to thrash out the party’s differences that it can move forward with a united position, clearing the path for opposition leader Sussan Ley to water down the net zero target as recommended by former prime minister Scott Morrison.

Tehan is leading a policy review on energy policy and net zero, which was commissioned amid a contentious debate within the Coalition following its historic loss at the May election, with Liberal moderates calling for an ongoing commitment to net zero.

Ley has said she wants to retu

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