The Territory Labor Government is working towards achieving its targets of 50% renewable energy by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.
Today, the Minister for Environment and Climate Change has tabled the Northern Territory’s Climate Change Response Annual Progress Report.
Our emissions target clearly signals the Territory Labor Government’s ambition to do things differently in delivering much needed growth and diversification while decarbonising our economy. This includes harnessing the available economic opportunities.
The Climate Change Response was developed to mitigate the risks of climate change and wherever possible, to harness the opportunities associated with taking climate action.
The Northern Territory Government’s Climate Change Response establishes four policy objectives:
1. Net zero emissions by 2050
2. A resilient Territory
3. Opportunities from a low carbon future
4. Inform and involve all Territorians
The Territory Labor Government is completing a project to calculate its own greenhouse gas emissions with the intent of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, with a tender awarded early this year for this work. This project falls under action 1.5.1 of the Territory Labor Government’s Climate Change Response Three-year Action Plan.
Separately, the Territory Labor Government has engaged experts to assist in understanding our trajectory towards net zero emissions by 2050, under a range of modelled scenarios. This work will inform development of the Emissions Reduction Strategy for the Territory, due to be finalised in 2022.
In the past 12 months, the Territory Labor Government has been building the policy foundations for sustained action to decarbonise our economy, including:
The release of the Electric vehicles strategy;
Release of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management for New and Expanding Large Emitters policy (Large Emitters Policy);Release of a draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Offsets Policy for public comment;Continued delivery of the hugely successful Home and Business Battery Scheme;$2.3 million towards the Remote Power System Strategy. This is made up of a number of different components, with the Government working over the next two years to commence the necessary work to ensure the Strategy addresses future energy demands and realises community benefits;Setting a standard of building efficiency for new builds with a tender awarded for the study of Section J in the building code; andContinuing to work with the Federal Government to deliver the Energy and Emissions Bilateral Agreement.
Today the Minister for Environment also introduced the Environment Legislation Amendment Bill 2021.
The purpose of the Bill is to collectively amend a range of Acts within the Environment portfolio to clarify and improve their efficiency in administration and to ensure effective decisions can be made across a range of land, fire and environmental management regulatory matters administered by the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security.
To view the annual climate change report visit: https://climatechange.nt.gov.au [https://www.climatechange.nt.gov.au]
Quotes from the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Eva Lawler:
“The Territory Labor Government is taking its responsibilities seriously to tackle climate change and protect the environment for future generations.
“We need to focus on becoming a resilient Territory – we need to be ready for the growing impacts of climate change. This annual update shows we are on the right path, we are on track and we getting our policies and changes out there which will make a difference.
“We are also working on a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy that will be released for public review in early 2022.”
Northern Territory Government
