ACT to deliver next major phase of climate action

The ACT Climate Change Strategy 2019-2025 and Canberra’s Living Infrastructure Plan, the ACT Government’s next steps in the response to the climate change challenge, were today launched by Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury.

This next tranche of major climate action from the ACT only furthers the ACT’s global leading climate efforts.

As part of this Strategy and Plan, the ACT is now the first Australian state or territory government to commit to:

• Developing a plan for achieving zero emissions from gas use by 2045
• All new Government buildings being all-electric
• All new public schools being all-electric
• Investigate applying a social cost of carbon in procurement and capital works
• Transitioning to a zero emissions bus fleet by 2040
• Meeting emission reduction targets without the purchase of offsets
• Developing a pathway to zero emissions hospital
• Transitioning to a zero emissions government passenger vehicle fleet.

The ACT is rightly proud of our achievements in becoming the national leader in action against climate change.

As we close in on our target of 100% renewable energy powering the city by 2020, we are now planning for how the Territory will reach our zero net emissions target by 2045.

The Government will also be planting more trees in our suburbs, encouraging Canberrans to consider active travel or public transport to move around our city and providing the incentives and regulatory framework to find new ways to reduce emissions.

Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury said that the ACT is unapologetically ambitious when it comes to delivering real climate action.

“Among these many commitments are a number of Australian state or territory firsts – cementing the ACT as a global climate action leader,” Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury said today.

“The Strategy and Plan outline measures that will promote sustainable transport, supporting the phasing out natural gas, cool our city by increasing the number of trees, improve energy efficiency, and improve the way we plan our city and the way we construct Canberra’s housing.

“The Strategy aims to meet our legislated target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50-60% from 1990 levels by 2025, and the Plan sets a target to grow our city’s urban tree canopy to 30% by 2045.

There will be extensive benefits from the strategy, including large investments in making Canberra a more comfortable and liveable place to live (i.e. quieter buses, more shady trees, and more comfortable housing).

The Strategy already has $17m of funding for the initial work and initiatives, and to continue existing climate programs.

There will also be longer-term benefits for our city, through reduced risks and costs from heatwaves, fires and storms, ensuring Canberra is home to the growing industries of the future, and making our businesses more efficient and competitive. 

Key initiatives in the Strategy and Plan include:

• A 30% urban tree canopy target and 30% surface permeability target for the ACT
• Transitioning more Canberra homes and businesses away from gas (a polluting fossil fuel) to electricity (soon to be 100% renewable)
• Increasing use of sustainable transport including walking, cycling, public transport, and zero emissions vehicle
• Introducing minimum energy performance requirements for rental properties
• Introducing a City Cooling Program in high priority locations
• Introducing a household food and garden waste collection service and improve organic waste treatment
• Removing the requirement for gas in new suburbs
• Supporting households to reduce energy costs through additional energy efficiency improvements
• Continuing to encourage the transition to electric vehicles such as electric cars, scooters, bikes, buses and trucks
• Encouraging new zero carbon businesses through training, education and incentives to support upgrades to energy efficient electric appliances and accelerate the transition to electric vehicles
• Connecting with industry to support employees affected by new technologies and encourage emerging, sustainable industries
• Reducing emissions in ACT Government operations including through shifting to high efficiency, all-electric, climate-wise buildings and facilities, and transitioning to electric buses
• Supporting cross-sector collaboration and corporate action to manage the risks from climate change to homes, businesses, species and ecological communities

Copies of the Plan and the Strategy (both in full and Executive Summaries), as well as overlay footage, are available for download at the following link.

Statement ends