New climate and emissions reduction legislation introduced to Parliament

A Bill to amend and modernise the state’s climate change and emissions reduction legislation has been introduced to Parliament to better reflect the Malinauskas Government’s environmental policy objectives and the significant progress the state has already made to reduce emissions.

The Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reductions (Targets) Amendment Bill will enshrine in legislation South Australia’s short term and long term emissions reduction targets to help address climate change.

The bill contains two targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction - 60 per cent reduction (on 2005 levels) by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

While these are ambitious goals, SA has reduced emissions substantially already, with a more than 50 per cent reduction since 2005 in the last reporting period.

This is largely to the credit of SA’s renewable sector, and the bill includes the updated target of 100 per cent net renewable electricity generation target by 2027.

These targets taken together confirm our place as leading the global push to decarbonise.

Enshrining emissions reduction and renewable electricity generation targets in legislation will help guide policy and decision making on measures to achieve the targets.

The Bill replaces the previous SA target of at least 60 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (on 1990 levels) by 2050 with our current state target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

The state’s current short-term target for at least 60 per cent reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels) will also be enshrined in the Act.

It also enshrines the Premier’s updated renewable electricity generation target to 2027, confirming our place as leading the global push to decarbonise.

The reforms send a clear signal to the community, investors and business about the Government’s commitment to a net zero emissions future.

Amending the Act is part of the Government’s response to the declaration of a climate emergency by the South Australian Parliament in May 2022.

Quotes

Attributable to Susan Close

When the Act commenced in 2007, it was the first of its kind in Australia and helped our state to become the global leader in renewable energy generation and climate mitigation.

It has helped to drastically reduce emissions and prepare ourselves for climate-related impacts, including more frequent and severe extreme weather events and long term changes in temperatures, rainfall and sea levels.

Importantly, this Bill replaces the South Australian target of at least 60 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 with our current state target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.