Chris Bowen, the federal minister for climate change, has released Australia's first national climate statement in parliament.
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By Shiloh Payne
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Watch: Chris Bowen upgrades emissions outlook
By Shiloh Payne
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen says the actions of the Albanese government has lifted the emissions outlook by a third to 40 per cent, while the emissions target has been raised to 43 per cent by 2030.
Here's a look at how we need to track to reach the target
By Shiloh Payne
Comparing historical emissions to the target, there's still a way to go.
We're seeing mixed reactions in the comments
By Shiloh Payne
This looks amazing - Ayaz
Not good enough, get this done - Graeme
Panic - Geoff
Really it is about time climate change was taken seriously - Pamela
First statement presents a challenge and opportunity, Bowen says
By Shiloh Payne
Chris Bowen said the first Annual Statement presents a challenge to reduce emissions and the unique opportunity to achieve it.
“The inaugural Annual Climate Change Statement shows we are on the right track, but it is also a wake-up call for the nation that we must stay the course,” Mr Bowen says.
“Australia is one of the developed nations most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which means the stakes are extremely high.
“Reducing emissions by 43% is an achievable but ambitious target and we are going to need a collective effort and determination across all of the economy to get there.”
Australia needs to reach same emissions target for next eight years as it has for last 18
By Shiloh Payne
Here's some more from Michael Slezak explaining the emissions reduction target.
"The previous government left their projects and emissions reduction by 2030 at only 30%.
"The projections today show the actions and policies of this government, so far, have increased this projection to 40%. That is, we've lifted the outlook by a third in our first six months.
"To get on a credible path to net zero, you need to achieve a 42% reduction by 2030.
"As the Climate Change Authority advice makes clear, to achieve this target will need to achieve the same emissions reduction in the next eight years that has been achieved in the last 18 years in total."
Emissions reduction falling short
By Shiloh Payne
The report said to achieve a 43 per cent reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050, the "decarbonisation rate needs to be at least 17 million tonnes of carbon per year."
That required a 40 per cent faster rate of decarbonisation than has occurred since 2009, Mr Bowen said.
Scientists say that for Australia to do its fair share in stopping global warming at 1.5C though, it should cut emissions by about 74 per cent by 2030.
Pleased but not satisfied
By Shiloh Payne
Michael Slezak, ABC's national science, technology and environment reporter is speaking on News Channel.
He says Chris Bowen was upfront about the fact that Labor is not quite at its 43 per cent target by 2030.
"[Mr Bowen] said he is pleased with where we are out but not satisfied, he also addresses criticism that their targets are too weak.
"For example, climate scientists have pointed out that to stop global warming at 1.5 degrees about preindustrial levels, we should reduce emissions by about 74 per cent by 2030, not 43 per cent.
"He noted that and said some say we need to do more but released at the same time as a stripper was the Climate Change Authority's advice about how to get to those targets and he said, this shows how much work that was to do to get to our own targets.
"He's saying, there is so much to do, yes, we should do more but let's try to focus on this first."
O'Brien: Energy prices were at an all-time low under coalition
By Shiloh Payne
Ted O'Brien, the opposition minister for climate change, says over the last term of the coalition government alone, energy prices dropped for households by eight per cent and for businesses by 10 per cent.
"Electricity prices dropped to an eight-year low under the coalition, as we reduce pressure on households and lowered costs on businesses," he says.
The Opposition minister for climate change and energy is now speaking
By Shiloh Payne
Ted O'Brien is now speaking.
He says everybody wants to see a future with a cleaner planet.
"It's an important place to start, recognising that people come to the issue of climate change in very different ways," Mr O'Brien says.
He says there have been two vastly different approaches throughout the last 12 months.
Mr Bowen concludes his speech
By Shiloh Payne
The Climate Change Minister says the world's climate emergency is Australia's job opportunity.
"For decades, Australians were told by some that action on climate change would cost jobs," he says.
"This was always a lie. It has never been more of a lie than today."
'The climate has already changed'
By Shiloh Payne
Chris Bowen says Australians are living with the consequences of climate change right now.
"But while Australia’s regions experience some of the worst of climate change impacts, they also have the opportunity to be at the heart of our transformation and the economic revolution which will come with it," he says.
"It’s why we announced in the Budget the creation of a Net Zero Taskforce.
"The Taskforce will bring together perspectives from communities, state and territory governments, industries and unions to advise the Government on ensuring regional Australians are first to benefit from Australia’s transformation to a renewable energy superpower."
Government delivering on solar banks, Mr Bowen says
By Shiloh Payne
He says he is pleased with the government's achievements in the first six months, but there's still much to do.
"We are delivering solar banks, to provide access to renewable energy for low-income families," Chris Bowen says.
"And leading by transforming our Federal Government itself to be net zero by 2030."
Bowen: 'Business as usual can't be the usual business anymore'
By Shiloh Payne
Mr Bowen says business needs to step up and deliver on their commitments.
He says how we travel around our wide country also has a big impact on how much we emit.
"The Government inherited a situation in which just 2 per cent of car sales are electric, five times below the international average," Mr Bowen says.
"Last week, the Parliament passed our Electric Vehicle tax cut, cutting $9000 a year from the cost to Australian businesses of providing a $50,000 electric vehicle to employees."
A need to 'rewire our nation'
By Shiloh Payne
Chris Bowen says over the next eight years, we will need to transition our electricity system to 82 per cent renewables, from the current base of around 30 per cent.
"The most important thing we can do is rewire our nation," Mr Bowen says.
He says the budget allocated $20 billion of investment to this.
We will need 'much more' dispatchable power' in next eight years, Bowen says.
By Shiloh Payne
Mr Bowen says Australia needs to increase its decarbonisation rate by at least 17 million tonnes of carbon per year to achieve a 43 per cent reduction by 2030.
"Increased dispatchable storage will also be essential, after ten years when 4 gigawatts of dispatchable generation left and only one gigawatt of dispatchable capacity entered the market," Mr Bowen says.
"We will need to install much, much more clean dispatchable power in the coming eight years."
Australia’s increased target is to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030
By Shiloh Payne
Mr Bowen acknowledges that there are some people who call for more, but he says the government sees 43 per cent as "a floor, not a ceiling".
"This being the first day of the month, 2030 is now just 84 months away," he says.
"As the Climate Change Authority advice makes clear, to achieve this target we will need to achieve the same emissions reduction in the next eight years that has been achieved in the last 18."
'We don't have a second to waste', Climate Change Minister says
By Shiloh Payne
"Our country has wasted a decade," Chris Bowen says.
"We now don't have a second to waste."
Bowen: Australia is hugely vulnerable to impacts of climate change
By Shiloh Payne
Changing rainfall and worsening heat will make our agricultural sector less productive and harder to work, Mr Bowen says.
"Australia is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including bushfires and floods, so the stakes are extremely high," he says.
"Not acting would be an unforgivable act of intergenerational negligence."
Disasters becoming 'increasingly devastating, frequent and unnatural'
By Shiloh Payne
Mr Bowen says the reality is climate changing is now impacting all different kinds of people, from farmers, to tourism operators, to communities impacted by bushfires and floods.
"Our beautiful land has always been subject to devastating natural disasters," he says.
He says the disasters are becoming increasingly devastating, frequent and unnatural.
