Roger Jaensch,Minister for Climate Change
Tasmania’s emissions profile continues to be the envy of the nation and the world.
For the seventh consecutive year, Tasmania has maintained net negative emissions, according to the latest State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories 2020 released on Thursday.
In 2020, Tasmania’s net emissions were negative 3.73 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e), which is 121 per cent lower than in 1990. At the same time, our economy has doubled and more than 60,000 jobs have been created.
This nation-leading result also means that Tasmania continues to sequester more greenhouse gas emissions than we emit, contributing to solutions for the global challenge of climate change.
In 2020, Tasmania was the only state to achieve net-zero emissions, due to our sustainably managed forest estate, our long-term renewable energy investments along with ongoing emissions reductions in our waste sector.
But modelling shows that as our economy and population grow, and the risk of severe bushfires increases, we will need to do more to reduce emissions across all sectors to maintain our net-zero status.
That’s why in response to the independent review of our climate change legislation, detailed emissions and economic modelling, and extensive consultation with industry, business and the community, we will legislate a target of net zero emissions, or lower, from 2030. This will be the most ambitious legislated target in the country and one of the most ambitious in the world.
Tasmania’s enviable emissions status, and our ambitious targets, will deliver brand benefits, and bring investment and jobs, while adding value to everything we offer and produce here: in hospitality and tourism, agriculture, aquaculture, science, advanced manufacturing and resources.
*Note: The State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories 2020 (2020 STGGI) was released by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) on June 9, 2022.
