Featuring: Dr Sophie Lewis, Minister Shane Rattenbury MLA and Minister Rebecca Vassarotti MLA, and Tim Hollo Last night Dr Sophie Lewis, ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, spoke about a recent report prepared by her office outlining the ACT’s scope 3 emissions footprint.

Scope 3 emissions are the emissions that are generated outside our borders, including the emissions to transport goods into the ACT, as well as emissions that result from food production, building materials, clothing and any other consumables that are imported into the ACT.

Under greenhouse gas accounting practices, these emissions are counted in the area where they occur, so aren’t included in the ACT’s annual emissions inventory.

This report, commissioned by Minister Rattenbury in 2020, makes the ACT the first jurisdiction in Australia to calculate the community’s indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the goods and services that we buy. The report outlines key sectors contributing to the ACT’s scope 3 emissions and suggests a pathway forward to reducing them.

The ACT has made great progress in cutting our emissions locally and it’s important that we continue to do so. This report is a reminder of the extent of change that is required throughout our economy and supply chains in order to decarbonise and that we can influence emissions beyond our borders. It also highlights the importance of reducing consumption and of all jurisdictions reaching net zero emissions and finding ways to produce zero emissions, low-impact products.