What the government is doing
A Clean Energy Future is part of the long-term plan to reshape the Australian economy, provide greater certainty to drive innovation, and help avoid the increased costs associated with delayed action on climate change. The comprehensive plan aims to dramatically cut pollution, introduce a carbon price, and invest billions of dollars in renewable energy. The plan also includes transforming the energy sector away from high polluting sources such as brown coal and storing carbon in the land through better land management strategies.
Through its commitment under the Kyoto Protocol, Australia is on target to slow growth of its carbon pollution emissions. Progress against this target is tracked in Australia's National Greenhouse Accounts.
The plan to move to a Clean Energy Future will cut pollution by at least five per cent compared with 2000 levels by 2020—which will require cutting net expected pollution by at least 23 per cent in 2020 and 80 per cent below 2000 levels by 2050.
The Government recognises its responsibility to act on behalf of future generations. We will strengthen our effort to prepare Australia for a low carbon pollution future through the Renewable Energy Target, research and development of clean energy, and measures to help households, businesses, communities and regions transition to a low carbon future.
We are also preparing Australia for the impacts of climate change that are already ‘locked in’ due to the carbon pollution already released into the atmosphere. We are investing in the science, research, information and skills needed to help communities, industries and governments adapt to a changing climate. Under Clean Energy Future 460 million tonnes of carbon pollution will be reduced or stored instead of entering our atmosphere under the Carbon Farming Initiative, between 2011 and 2050.
We are also continuing to work with other countries to develop a global solution to this global problem. An investment of more than $15 billion in climate change initiatives is putting Australia on track to a low carbon future where our society is prosperous, our economy is strong and our environment is protected.
Australia can create jobs and protect the environment at the same time – and the Government’s plan for cutting carbon pollution will deliver this while preparing Australia for a better future.
Three pillar strategy
Underlying the Government’s climate change policy are three pillars:
- mitigation - to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions
- adaptation - to adapt to the climate change we cannot avoid
- global solution - to help shape a collective international response.
By acting now, Australians can look forward to long-term prosperity, while protecting our environment for ourselves and for future generations. The Government has a range of initiatives to assist individuals, households, industry and the community: