REDUCING EMISSIONS
Australia accounts for 1.3% of global emissions. We have made significant commitments to reduce our emissions.
Our Paris commitment is to reduce emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.
On a per-person basis, this is a greater reduction than the commitments of the EU, Germany, Canada, New Zealand or Japan.
When Australia makes a commitment, we keep it.
We are on track to beat our 2020 Kyoto target by 411 million tonnes.
The most recent update from Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory shows:
- Emissions are lower than in 2013 when the Coalition came into Government.
- Emissions are 13.7% lower than in 2005.
We will meet our commitments without jeopardising our economy or power prices.
We will do this through our $3.5 billion Climate Solutions package, which includes:
- The $2 billion Climate Solutions Fund. This supports farmers, landholders and Indigenous communities with: savannah management, energy efficiency, capturing methane from landfills and storing carbon in soils.
- Snowy 2.0. This will increase the reliability of renewable energy. It will provide up to 175 hours of storage. This will meet the peak demand of up to 500,000 homes.
- Battery of the Nation and Marinus Link. This will unlock 400 megawatts of Tasmanian hydro power to the mainland.
- A national strategy for electric vehicles.
- Supporting local communities through the Communities Environment Program and Environment Restoration Fund.
Other policies that that help lower emissions include:
- The $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation which finances clean energy technologies – for example:
- a new welding system cutting emissions by 21% for Cairns Steel Fabricators:
- a Melbourne facility to convert 12,000 truckloads of household garden and food waste into high-grade compost (saving 85% of emissions from landfill).
- The Renewable Energy Target. We are on track to have more than 23% of our energy generated by renewables in 2020.
Technology will continue to play a key role in reducing emissions. For example:
- Air conditioners are now 50% more energy efficient than at the turn of the century.
- Solar panel costs have fallen from $350 per megawatt hour in 2009 to $50 now.
- Just as we were successful in reducing ozone levels in refrigerators, we are committed to reducing synthetic greenhouse gases in fridges by 85% by 2036.
INVESTING IN RENEWABLE ENERGY
Australia is a world leader in renewable energy investment.
In 2019 Australia’s investment (per person) in renewable energy was greater than the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom, and more than triple the per capita investment of countries like Germany, China, France and Denmark.
Australia has the world's highest (per capita) uptake of rooftop solar. Nearly one in four Australian homes have solar on their roof.
We are working to ensure renewables are more reliable.
We are investing in Snowy 2.0, which will be the world’s second-largest renewable hydro power station. It will increase capacity by 2,000 megawatts – enough for 500,000 homes.
Tasmania’s Battery and the Marinus Link (a second interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria) will bring 400 megawatts of Tasmanian hydro power to the mainland.
We are also underwriting reliable generation projects including new pumped hydro projects across the National Electricity Market.
MORE RECYCLING & LESS WASTE
Scientists estimate that in just 30 years’ time the weight of plastics in our oceans will exceed the weight of the fish.
Australians create around 67 million tonnes of waste each year. We want to see less waste going to landfill and ending up in oceans, and more being re-used and recycled.
We are banning the export of wasted plastic, paper, glass and tyres.
We are building Australia’s domestic recycling capability through our $167 million Australian Recycling Investment Plan.
This plan will increase Australia’s recycling rates, tackle plastic waste and litter, accelerate work on a new battery recycling scheme and halve food waste by 2030.
Microbeads are being phased out. 94% of cosmetic and personal care products in Australia already micro-bead free.
PROTECTING THE BARRIER REEF
The Great Barrier Reef is a global tourism icon, a wonder of the natural world, and critically important to the Queensland and national economies. It contributes around $6.4 billion a year to Australia’s economy, along with 64,000 jobs.
We are committed to protecting it.
It was our Government that ended all dredge disposal plans. We also put a ban on future dredge disposal projects in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Our Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan has been endorsed by the World Heritage Committee.
The Morrison Government is investing more than $1.2 billion to ensure the health of the Reef, and more than $2 billion jointly with the Qld Government.
This includes our $443.3 million Partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
This will support proven activities, like improving water quality and fighting crown of thorns starfish, as well as research into new methods of reef restoration and adaptation.
With its unique capacity to leverage private funds, the Foundation aims to raise an additional $300-$400 million over six years for reef protection.
COMBATING MARINE DEBRIS
We are providing $4 million each year to support Pacific Island countries on waste management and pollution control.
We’re also investing $5 million for the Tangaroa Blue Foundation to facilitate community clean-up and other events in the Great Barrier Reef region.
LANDCARE
We are investing around $1 billion for the next phase of the National Landcare Program from 2018 to 2023.
This includes Land Partnerships, to protect our threatened ecological communities, restore our globally-important wetlands, and support recovery efforts for threatened species.
The Regional Land Partnerships also invest in improving soil health on farms. It will target soil acidification, wind erosion and hillslope erosion.
CLEANER OCEANS AND WATERWAYS
Our $100 million Environment Restoration Fund will improve the water quality of the Yarra, Swan and Canning, Torrens, Brisbane, Georges, Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers.
CLEANER AND GREENER COMMUNITIES
The Liberal and Nationals Government is investing over $22 million in a new Communities Environment Program to help communities protect and care for their local environment.
Each federal electorate will receive up to $150,000 this year for projects.
These could include: restoring coasts, wetlands and waterways; protecting native animals; reducing waste and litter; and greening local parks and urban areas.
ENVIRONMENT RESTORATION FUND
Our $100 million Environment Restoration Fund will support practical action on waste and recycling, the protection of rivers, waterways and coasts, and further support for our threatened native species.
ANTARCTIC SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
The Liberal and Nationals Government is investing $2.8 billion to enhance Australia’s Antarctic operations and science capabilities. This includes funding for research, operations and a new ice breaker.
We are constructing a modern station at Macquarie Island. This will provide a year-round capability for scientific monitoring and priority research.
PROTECTING THREATENED SPECIES
Since 2014, the Government has invested in over 1,300 projects supporting threatened species.
Our Threatened Species Strategy outlines targets to improve outcomes of 20 priority birds, 20 priority mammals, and 30 priority plants.
It also commits to the creation of five feral cat-free islands, 10 mainland feral cat-free wildlife enclosures, and the culling of two million feral cats by 2020.
We will also allocate up to $10 million under the Environment Restoration Fund to support the creation of safe havens for threatened species.
We are also backing initiatives to protect: koalas in northern NSW and south-east Queensland; WA’s black cockatoos; Bruny Island’s Eastern Quolls; and Kangaroo Island’s threatened dunnart.
The Coalition appointed Australia’s first Threatened Species Commissioner in 2014.
LABOR’S RECKLESS TARGETS
Labor remains committed to its reckless targets.
Independent modelling by BAEconomics shows Labor’s 45% emissions reduction and 50% renewables target would: driving up wholesale power prices by 58%; cost the economy $472 billion; reduce real wages by $9,000 per household and slash 336,000 jobs.
Labor’s true thinking was revealed by its Environment Action Network, which said: “high prices are not a market failure – they are proof of the market working well.”
