2019-05-14
Canberra has been recognised as a global leader for environmental action after receiving an A grade from not-for-profit organisation CDP, Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury announced today.
Each year over six hundred cities from Delhi to Dallas report their climate data to CDP, formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project. The organisation assessed Canberra in relation to our climate action efforts, including our emissions reductions, 100% renewable electricity by 2020 achievement and target of zero net emissions by 2045 at the latest.
In 2018, just 7% of cities received an A grade, demonstrating that Canberra is at the forefront of ambitious environmental policy, transparency and governance.
“Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time—how we act now will determine the future of our planet, and life on Earth as we know it,” Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury said today.
“I’m pleased to see our climate actions efforts recognised internationally, as they were more recently at the Global Climate Action Summit in California.
“For a small jurisdiction, the ACT punches well above our weight when it comes to climate action.
“Canberra has some of the most ambitions emissions reduction targets in the world. We are well on the way to achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2020 through our pioneering reverse auction process. This will see our city decrease emissions by 40% from 1990 levels, by 2020.
“The Government is also committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2045. In reaching this goal, we are targeting our transport sector (expected to account for over 60% of emissions following 2020) by encouraging active travel, providing high quality, low carbon emissions public transport and supporting the transition to zero emissions vehicles.