Posts tagged ‘climate targets’
Move to end coal in Victoria by 2030
The Greens in the Legislative Council have presented legislation to a second reading to end coal mining, coal burning, and coal to hydrogen processing in Victoria by the end of 2030.
Greens Western Region MP Sarah Mansfield moved the second reading motion of the Energy and Resources Legislation Amendment (Transition Away from Coal) Bill 2023. It will come back for discussion in about 2 weeks time.
In her speech Mansfield acknowledges the Victorian Governments more ambitious climate targets for 2035, which will probably see coal power disappear by that date.
But Mansfield also takes note that brown coal mining could continue as part of coal to hydrogen for export to Japan, with the Government to attempt to sequester emissions in the depleted oil and gas wells in Bass Strait.
(more…)Major backtrack on active transport projects in Draft Merri-bek Council Budget jeopardizes Climate Targets
Climate Action Merribek is very concerned with the lack of cycling projects in the pipeline of Council’s budget for 2023-2028.
Council appears to have gone backwards from the 10 year active transport rolling Capital works plan for walking and cycling projects.
We question Council’s priority in the Draft Budget given many $millions in funding for sports facilities over the forward budget, while providing infrastructure to encourage transport mode shift that reduces emissions, as well as many other co-benefits, is cut back to next to nothing.
Council declared a climate emergency in 2018, it needs to take the actions and prioritise project funding for cycling and active transport in accordance with that declaration.
Full Climate Action Merribek submission below.
Other media coverage: See Brunswick Voice, ‘Betrayal’: bike users group lashes council over abandoned projects
(more…)Submission: Setting Victoria’s 2035 climate target
What should Victoria’s 2035 emissions reduction target be? We strongly believe it should be science based taking into account our carbon budget with global equity considerations. The Victorian Government called for submissions by June 5, 2022. Our submissions concentrated on Transport, as we see that is a major policy blind spot with regard to public transport, active transport and aviation.
- Victoria’s target for 2020 was to cut emissions by 15-20% below 2005 levels. That target was achieved two years early.
- Victoria’s target for 2025 is to cut emissions by 28-33% below 2005 levels.
- Victoria’s target for 2030 is to cut emissions by 45-50% below 2005 levels.
Read our submission for 2025 and 2030 targets in which we argued for at minimum the emissions cuts identified by the Combet review matching the science: of at least 43% by 2025 and 67% by 2030 to have any chance of limiting warming to 1. 5°C. (Download PDF version)
The next short-term target, for 2035, must be set by 31 March 2023. An independent panel of experts will advise on a target for 2035, the best action to reach that target and what the pathways to net zero emissions by 2050 could look like. The Panel will prepare a report with their advice to government by 1 March 2023.
(more…)Victoria sets offshore wind targets of 9GW by 2040
The Victorian Government has set new offshore wind farm targets. Currently there are no offshore wind farms operating in the state, although the Star of the South Project off the Gippsland Coast is well progressed in planning.
The new offshore wind targets:
- 2032 – target of 2 GW
- 2035 – target of 4 GW
- 2040 – target of 9 GW
- 2050 – potential capacity of 13 GW
There are already 3 offshore wind farms on the drawing boards. The 2.1GW Star of the South is the most advanced offshore wind farm project, with estimated construction from 2025 and completion in 2028.
(more…)Moreland adopts new community climate targets: 75% emissions cut by 2030, net zero by 2035, Drawdown by 2040
At the Moreland Council meeting on 8 December Moreland Council briefly debated and adopted new climate targets: both community targets and Council Operations targets. Moreland had previously adoped a net zero by 2040 community target at Council meeting in September 2018.
The Council Officer recommendation was adopted for community emissions
a) 75 per cent emissions reduction by 2030
b) Net zero by 2035
c) Drawdown (‘negative emissions’) by 2040
Zero is good, but Morrison fails Australia with no new 2030 target for COP26
Climate advocacy Community groups and organisations have welcomed the announcement today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Net Zero, but have strongly criticised not increasing Australia’s low 2030 target that was set by Prime Minister Abbott in 2015.
Climate Action Moreland put out a Joint statement of 40 climate advocacy organisations in response to the Federal Government’s net zero emissions announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor.
“Australia is taking a technology not taxes meet and cheat projection to Glasgow, which is another way of climate delay and denial while expanding fossil fuel production,” said Climate Action Moreland Convenor, John Englart.
Morrison said in his press conference “You will be supported by our data projection that will see us exceed our 2030 target with emissions reduction of up to 35% by 2030. We will keep our commitment, though, when it comes to our pledge that we made, and took to the last election of 26 to 28%, but we will meet it, and we will beat it. And we’ll beat it with emissions reductions we believe about the 35%.” said Morrison.
But the work of all the states will see Australia achieve 37-42% emissions reduction, according to scientific modelling and projections by Climateworks Australia associated with Monash University. The Federal Government is doing little effective climate action according to modelling on 2030 climate targets.
“This is the right plan for Australia – to summarise the outcome from it, which we’ll see in the plan, Australians $2,000 better off on average in 2050 compared with no Australian action.” says Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor at the press conference.
“Acting fast with renewables with strong 2030 targets showed citizens would be $5000 better off according to Business Council of Australia report.” said John Englart.
(more…)Petition: Zero emissions by 2030 target for Moreland Council
The City of Moreland declared a climate emergency in September 2018. It has a current zero community emissions 2040 target. Climate Action Moreland and Neighbours United for Climate Action has a petition to Moreland Council to reduce this zero emissions target to 2030. This is consistent with recent science in addressing the urgency of global warming.
Sign the petition at: https://www.petitions.net/moreland_council_adopt_a_zero_carbon_moreland_target_by_2030
June 2, 2021 at 1:53 am morelandclimategroup Leave a comment
New Victorian interim climate targets welcome but underwhelming
Today the Victorian Government announced the interim emissions reduction climate targets for 2025 and 2030. This announcement has been delayed for over a year due to the pandemic.
The targets announced are to reduce emissions by 28-33 per cent by 2025 and 45-50 per cent by 2030.
Awesome you say? 50 percent reduction by 2030, similar to what President Biden announced at the Biden Climate Summit on April 22. Not so fast.
The Independent Expert Panel recommended Victoria set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets of:
- 32-39% below 2005 levels in 2025 and
- 45-60% below 2005 levels in 2030.
Even this was not consistent with keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees, and the numerous risks enumerated in the IPCC Special Report on Global warming of 1.5C1.
The Combet Review identified emission cuts of at least 43% by 2025 and 67% by 2030 to have any chance of limiting warming to 1. 5°C, yet justified lower targets, even though there is scientific research3 that indicates there are several dangerous tipping points that should require substantial risk minimisation in setting ambitious targets. Read our submission from July 2019.
(more…)Submission: Setting Victoria’s climate targets for 2025 and 2030
Submission on Victorian Climate Targets
Executive Summary
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on the recommended emissions targets for Victoria as contained in the Interim Emissions Reduction Targets for Victoria (2021-2030) report prepared by the Independent Expert Panel.
We argue that the science strongly indicates we have a climate crisis and that Victoria (and Australia) needs to declare a climate emergency, to focus resources on ambitious emissions reduction and climate adaptation.
While we appreciate the work of the expert panel, we think the recommended targets are still too low, even by their own assessment of the targets required to meet the 1.5C temperature target as contained in the Paris Agreement.
Reducing emissions needs to address equity issues, so we also call for transition programs that address equity, both on the local level and as part of addressing the problem globally. As a matter of global equity and justice Australia as a developed country should decarbonise faster than the many developing countries that need to address poverty and social issues and already have low carbon footprints.
We particularly highlight that the Expert panel failed to address the growth in aviation emissions as part of transport emissions, and the expansion of Melbourne’s airports which induces growth in these emissions. This is a difficult niche area to decarbonise, but the first step should be to stop airport expansion which will cap the growth in aviation and aviation emissions.
This submission (PDF) was a collaborative work by members of Climate Action Moreland and follows the suggested question survey for consultation.
John Englart
Convenor, Climate Action Moreland
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Moreland sets zero net community emissions 2040 target
Moreland 2040 Framework
As well as acknowledging we are in a state of climate emergency at the Moreland Council meeting on 12 September 2018, there were several other significant policies and resolutions from Council. The most important was setting a long term target of zero net community emissions by 2040.
As well as the long term target and putting in place a framework and five year activity plans to achieve the target, Council’s 2014 Zero Carbon Evolution Strategy with a target of 22 per cent reduction in community emissions by 2020 from a 2011 base, was also revisited. Some areas of this strategy were not performing up to the targets set, so assessments were done of what was working well, and areas that needed to be closely addressed to rejig the plan to keep it on track.
Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change 