ACT explores new emissions reduction opportunities beyond borders

Australian Greens

The ACT has become the first jurisdiction in Australia to calculate the community’s indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the goods and services that we buy.

These types of emissions, known as scope 3 emissions, include 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.

Minister for Emissions Reduction Shane Rattenbury said the new report from the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment outlines key sectors contributing to the ACT’s scope 3 emissions and suggests a pathway forward to reducing them.

“The ACT Government commissioned this report in 2020 so we can continue to lead the charge when it comes to emissions reduction and climate change action. This analysis helps us to understand the ACT’s complete emissions profile, including impacts that occur beyond our borders,” Minister Rattenbury said.

“The ACT’s climate change efforts currently focus on reducing scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, which are those either produced directly in the ACT or indirectly through purchased energy. This is the traditional approach. The first step in addressing these impacts is to acknowledge and understand the impacts that actions in the ACT have beyond our borders.

“Before this report, we didn’t have a strong idea of the territory’s scope 3 emissions, which are produced outside the ACT. We have made great progress in cutting our emissions locally, but this report shows that there are great decarbonisation opportunities for us throughout our economy and supply chains.

“This is why we need national and international action and cooperation to decarbonise all sectors of the economy. While the extent of our scope 3 emissions is large, it is not surprising. In a global economy dominated by fossil fuel energy sources, the emissions intensity of products is high.

“This report clearly highlights that in addition to working locally to reduce our direct emissions, which we will continue to do as a high priority, we can push for transformational change across society.

“Working out the emissions footprint of the items we buy, the food we eat, and the energy used to transport them can help government, business, industry and the Canberra community take action and become more climate friendly consumers.”

Minister for the Environment Rebecca Vassarotti said that this report was another strong signal to the world that the ACT is dedicated to taking action on climate change and protecting our environment.

“The ACT is globally recognised as a climate action leader and our climate policies and programs have provided direction and inspiration to other cities and states looking to decarbonise their communities,” Minister Vassarotti said.

“Climate change and how our everyday choices affect our environment is a global issue and requires a global response. Thanks to this report, we now have an idea of the ACT’s contribution to emissions outside the territory and we can all begin to take actions to minimise this.

“Many Canberrans will find this report empowering, because scope 3 emissions are really in the hands of us as consumers to influence the supply chain. This includes government as a procurer of large projects but also us as individuals in the decisions we make every day, big and small.”

The report outlines a series of recommendations, which broadly relate to:

  • Government reporting arrangements for monitoring scope 3 emissions,
  • ACT working with other state, territory, and national partners to reduce scope 3 emissions,
  • ACT Government’s procurement practices and scope 3 emissions reduction targets for government operations,
  • Community education and behaviour change campaigns, and
  • New legislation and increased incentives for low carbon construction practices and materials.

The ACT Government is currently reviewing the recommendations and will supply a formal response in 2022.

/Public Release. View in full here.