The Australian government has announced a step towards addressing climate change by setting a 2035 target of reducing emissions by 62% to 70% below 2005 levels. This move comes following independent advice from the country’s Climate Change Authority.
The government defines this range of percentages as an achievable target, and believes it will send the right investment signals. The new target is notably lower than the 65%-75% range modelled by the domestic treasury department and initially recommended by the Climate Change Authority.
The target aims to be achieved through five priority areas that build on existing policies. These are: expanding clean electricity, lowering emissions by electrification and efficiency, expanding clean fuel, accelerating new technology, and scaling up net carbon removals.
To support these efforts, the Australian government has introduced several funding initiatives, including the establishment of a A$5 bn ($3.30bn) Net Zero Fund within the National Reconstruction Fund, aimed at assisting industrial facilities in decarbonising and increasing the adoption of renewable and low-emission manufacturing.
Additionally, the government will allocate A$2 bn to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to help reduce electricity prices, alongside A$1.1 bn to boost the production of clean fuels in the country.
Further investments include A$40 m to expedite the installation of kerbside and fast electric vehicle charging stations across the regions and suburbs, A$85 m for resources that will help households and businesses enhance their energy performance, and A$50 m dedicated to supporting sports clubs in their efforts to decarbonise.
Australia has encountered international criticism for its ongoing dependence on fossil fuels and had previously committed to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030. Unveiling the new target, prime minister Anthony Albanese said: “This is a responsible target supported by science and a practical plan to get there, built on proven technology.”
Australia, and many regions other globally, has experienced a rise in climate-related weather extremes in recent years. These include severe droughts, bushfires, and consecutive years of record-breaking floods. Additionally, rising sea temperatures have led to widespread coral bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland and Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.
The 2035 emissions target has sparked significant criticism from environmentalists. Australia ranks among the highest per capita polluters globally, primarily owing to its resource industry, which heavily relies on coal and natural gas extraction. During a news conference, Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen stated that the lower target represents a more realistically attainable goal.
However, the World Wide Fund for Nature – Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman was quoted by news agency Reuters as saying that the target was “dangerously short of what the science demands.”
