Households and communities must be at centre of 2035 decarbonisation target

The federal Government’s plan to craft a national 2035 emissions reduction target will succeed if community and household level electrification is a centrepiece of the strategy, Rewiring Australia said today. Under a process to be announced today by Climate Change and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, the Commonwealth will commence the construction of industry specific plans to accelerate emissions reduction. Rewiring Australia executive director, Dan Cass, said the fastest and most effective way to accelerate emissions reduction is to support 10 million Australian households to use solar and electrification to eliminate expensive fossil fuels. “The hottest days in recorded history have been recorded this year and it is clear we are in a climate emergency that demands faster action. The most efficient and equitable way to accelerate the rate of emissions reduction is for the Labor government to double down on its historic investment in electrification, with a focus on low-income households. “The federal government has allocated $1.7 billion on electrification of low income households, social housing and small business, which was the largest climate programme in the budget and shows how central it is to emissions reduction. “Rewiring Australia research shows that decisions made around the kitchen table account for 42% of emissions in the domestic consumption economy. Households and communities are central to the challenge of increasing the rate of emissions reduction and they should be actively consulted in preference to the big energy industry incumbents. “When someone shifts from grid power dominated by coal to rooftop solar, or from a petrol to electric car, they do more than change an energy source. They permanently lower their emissions and energy bills, and they never look back. “The suburbs and shires of Australia are the key to Australia presenting a more vigorous decarbonisation target. Community level participation is essential to our decarbonisation effort. “After a lost decade, Labor is making up for lost time. Community and household level electrification allows us to put our foot on the accelerator with proven technology that can be deployed immediately. Electrification will be critical for sectoral plans in building, transport, much industry and agriculture “Rewiring Australia calls on the federal government to actively consult with Australian solar and electric households, in addition to the usual climate policy consultations with industries and energy stakeholders. “This is an exciting moment for Australia. We have everything to win.”