Australias 2030 Emission Reduction TargetStrong, credible,
responsibleThe Australian Government will reduce greenhouse gas
emissions to 2628 per cent elow 200! levels " 2030# $ur target is a
step up %rom Australias current target to reduce emissions to %ive
per cent elow 2000 levels " 2020#Australias 2030 target is a
strong, credible and responsible contribution to climate action, as
countries work to conclude a new global agreement at the Paris
climate change conference in December 2015 !t builds on Australias
impressi"e track record of addressing climate change and is
consistent with strong growth in the econom# and $obs %he target
has been set following wide public consultation and consideration
of Australias national circumstances &'(submissions were
recei"ed as a part of the )o"ernments consultation on the target An
o"erwhelming ma$orit# wanted the )o"ernment to take action *ost
submissions from business and industr# called for a target that
sees Australia doing its fair share, in line with the actions of
others and our national circumstances %he )o"ernment has chosen a
2030 target to pro"ide long term certaint# to business Australia
will meet its 2030 target through policies built on the pro"en
Direct Action approach, which impro"e producti"it#, reduce costs
and dri"e inno"ation+such as the ,missions -eduction .und, its
/afeguard *echanism and other complementar# policies Australia is
also pla#ing a significant role through practical actions to reduce
emissions and impro"e the en"ironment in the Asia0Pacific and in
partnership with other countries Australia has a strong trac'
record on climate changeAustralia outperformed its 1#oto Protocol
first commitment period target 2200(320124 and is on track to meet
and beat its 2020 target5etween 2000 and 2013 the econom# grew b#
nearl# 50 per cent and our population grew strongl#, while
greenhouse gas emissions fell b# two per cent Australias emissions
per capita ha"e declined b# 1' per cent since 2000 and b# 22 per
cent since 2005 ,missions per unit of gross domestic product ha"e
fallen b# 33 per cent since 2000 and b# 2( per cent since
2005Figure 1. Australia grows, emissions intensity and emissions
per capita fall. 2# (ow Australia will meet its 2030 target%o
deli"er significant emissions reductions the )o"ernment is
implementing a suite of Direct Action policies, including the 6255
billion ,missions -eduction .und and /afeguard *echanism %he
world0leading ,missions -eduction .und has alread# purchased &7
million tonnes of emissions reductions8"erall design of Australias
2030 target polic# framework will be further considered in detail
in 20173201( At that time, lessons from implementation of the
,missions -eduction .und will be a"ailable!n the interim, the
)o"ernment will consult on, and in some cases implement,
initiati"es that can deli"er low cost emissions reductions and
other co0benefits %hese include9 a :ational ,nerg# Producti"it#
Plan, de"eloped with the ;ouncil of Australian )o"ernments ,nerg#
*inisters impro"ing the efficienc# of "ehicles phasing down
h#drofluorocarbons, which are used in refrigerators and air
conditioners de"eloping a strateg# to impro"e the utilisation of
solar power de"eloping a low emissions technolog# roadmap %hese
measures align with other policies deli"ering significant emissions
reductions, including9 the -enewable ,nerg# %arget, which will
deli"er more than 23 per cent of Australias electricit# from
renewablesb# 2020 *inimum ,nerg# Performance /tandards for
appliances and buildings the 20 *illion %rees programmeFigure 2.
Australias 2030 target is achievable using irect Action approaches.
!"echnology improvements and other sources of abatement include
technology innovation and brea#throughs, and other action by
businesses, governments and the community./ource9 Department of the
,n"ironment< chart represents indicati"e estimates Actual
emissions reductions will depend on final polic# design, and the
amount of emissions reductions re=uired to meet Australias 2030
target will depend on future emissions trends%he )o"ernments reform
agenda9 lower ta>es< less regulation< in"esting in small
business and producti"e infrastructure< and returning the budget
to surplus will keep our econom# strong and $obs growing %his is
central to attracting in"estment in new technologies2%echnolog#
will be critical in achie"ing low cost emissions reductions %he
Australian )o"ernments !ndustr#, !nno"ation and ;ompetiti"eness
Agenda is implementing a wide range of actions to build business
capabilit# and better facilitate commercialisation b# business%he
)o"ernment is alread# pro"iding around 61 billion to new and
inno"ati"e renewable energ#, energ# storage and energ# efficienc#
technologies !t will focus support on new and emerging technologies
like large scale solar and batter# storage%he )o"ernment is
focussed on impro"ing scientific understanding of climate change
impacts and adaptation %his includes the :ational ,n"ironmental
/cience programme, :ational ;limate ;hange Adaptation -esearch
.acilit# and work to impro"e the en"ironmental health of the )reat
5arrier -eef 3# Australias 2030 target is strong) responsile and
achievale 8"er 50 countries ha"e now submitted targets %hese
countries make up around ?0 per cent of global emissions, o"er70
per cent of global )DP and (0 per cent of Australian two0wa# trade
!n absolute terms Australias target sits within the range of
efforts b# other ma$or economies !n terms of reduction in emissions
per capita and the emissions intensit# of the econom#, Australias
emissions intensit# and emissions per person fall faster than man#
other economies Australias emissions per person falls b# 50352 per
cent between 2005 and 2030 and emissions per unit of )DP b#
?&3?5 per centFigure 3. Australias target is in line with other
countries targets1. /ource9 Department of the ,n"ironment anal#sis1
:ote9 ;hinas emissions are based on 8,;D pro$ections for )DP and
assume ;hina meets the upper bound of its emissions commitment
3Figure $. %hange in &missions 'ntensity(2030 "arget )elative
to 200*. /ource9 Department of the ,n"ironment, )DP data from
;ommonwealth of Australia 201&015 5udget and 8,;D database
2201&4 :ote9 .or the purposes of this chart the @/ 2025 target
has been e>trapolated to 2030 b# e>tending a straight line of
its reduction from 2020 to 2025Figure *. %hange in &missions
+er +erson(2030 "arget )elative to 200* levels./ource9 Department
of the ,n"ironment< Population from ;ommonwealth of Australia,
201531? 5udget 2Australia4 and @: Aorld Population Database 2other
countries4:ote9 .or the purposes of this chart the @/ 2025 target
has been e>trapolated to 2030 b# e>tending a straight line of
its reduction from 2020 to 2025*# Reducing emissions with a growing
econom" and population$ur population and econom" are growing %aster
than most other developed countries;ountries emissions are linked
with population and economic growth%he Australian population
continues to grow at a rate of around 15 per cent a #ear to 2030,
significantl# higher than the 8,;D a"erage of 0& per cent %his
will push up our emissions %he Australian econom# is in its 25th
consecuti"e #ear of growth and is forecast to grow further o"er the
ne>t few #ears %his is the second longest continuous period of
growth of an# ad"anced econom# in the world Australia is continuing
to grow while decreasing the emissions intensit# of the econom#
Australias e+ports are heavil" ased in emissions intensive
resources and agricultural products !n 2013 around half of
Australias e>ports were resources, with agriculture responsible
for an additional 12 per cent %he ma$orit# of e>ports from other
de"eloped countries, apart from :ew Bealand, are manufacturing and
ser"ices Australias e>ports of li=uefied natural gas also pla# a
role in supporting cleaner pathwa#s b# other countries &Figure
,. &-port shares by sector./ource9 D.A% 201&, ;omposition
of %rade Australia 2013 2Australia4, Aorld %rade 8rganisation
/tatistics Database 2other countries4,ore o% Australias electricit"
is generated %rom coalAustralias electricit# generation has been
dominated b# coal, which is cheap and accessible %his has
underpinned Australias economic de"elopment %his does, howe"er,
create real challenges to reduce emissions without ad"ersel#
impacting on the econom#!n 201&, coal fired electricit#
pro"ided more than ?0 per cent of Australias total electricit#
suppl#, with more than 75 per centof electricit# produced from coal
in the mainland eastern states of Cueensland, :ew /outh Aales and
Dictoria !n comparison, in 201& coal was responsible for about
25 per cent of electricit# in the ,uropean @nion and less than
&0 per cent in the @nited /tates of America :uclear and gas
make up a higher proportion of electricit# generation in these
$urisdictions$ur econom" and -os will continue to grow%he economic
impacts are manageable and the econom# will continue to grow 8ur
target pro"ides certaint# and is set sufficientl# far in ad"ance to
allow for a smooth transition %echnological progress continues to
be made in relation to energ# and emissions efficienc# ;hoosing low
cost polic# options and acting in concert with others means we can
contribute while remaining competiti"e and protecting our econom#
and $obs !# Australias international role;limate change is a global
issue All countries must work together to address it %he Australian
)o"ernment is pla#ing a constructi"e role in negotiations for a new
global climate change agreement which will be finalised in December
2015 at the @nited :ations .ramework ;on"ention on ;limate ;hange
2@:.;;;4;onference of the Parties in Paris ;ountries ha"e agreed to
a collecti"e goal of limiting global a"erage temperature rise to
less than 2E; abo"e pre0industrial le"els ,ffecti"e global action
towards meeting this goal will reduce climate risks to Australias
en"ironment and econom# %o ha"e a meaningful global impact, all
countries need to act to limit and reduce their greenhouse gas
emissions %his means the Paris Agreement must deli"er full
participation and commitments to take coordinated action b# all
countries Australia, together with all @:.;;; members, agreed that
commitments should be appropriate to countries national
circumstances so the# can work alongside plans for strong economic
growth, $obs and de"elopment !n this conte>t, Australias 2030
target represents a strong effort 5!n addition to its 2030 target,
Australia is working with other countries, dri"ing inno"ati"e and
practical polic# responses which will not onl# reduce emissions but
significantl# impro"e the en"ironment%he Asia0Pacific -ainforest
/ummit held in /#dne# last :o"ember kick started a process to
deli"er ma$or reductions indeforestation at a regional le"el!n the
lead up to the Paris conference, Australia will work with countries
in our region to protect and enhance the regions rainforests which
pla# a critical role in addressing climate change ,nhancing carbon
le"els in soils offers huge potential to impro"e the uptake of
carbon emissions across the globe Australia is a world leader in
this area and will be sharing its e>pertise with other countries
/imilarl#, Australia will be acti"el# in"ol"ed with international
efforts to progress negotiations to reduce h#drofluorocarbons under
the *ontreal ProtocolAustralia works with other countries to
deli"er inno"ati"e and practical polic# responses to climate change
Ae help our partners, particularl# in the Asia0Pacific, to reduce
emissions and manage climate impacts, while building
infrastructure, deli"ering economic growth and significantl#
impro"ing the en"ironment Ae are a ma$or contributor to
international initiati"es like the )reen ;limate .und 2);.4 and the
)lobal )reen )rowth !nstitute 2)))!4Australia has pledged 6200
million o"er four #ears to the );. %he );. is a ma$or new
multilateral fund that will support de"eloping countries to grow
their economies in a sustainable wa# and help them to adapt to
climate change %he .und will le"erage pri"ate sector in"estment and
support a range of emission reduction and adaptation pro$ects with
broader economic and en"ironmental benefits Australia will continue
to use its 5oard seat to ad"ocate for the interests of the
!ndo0Pacific region Australia is also supporting de"eloping countr#
go"ernments design and implement green growth strategies through
its 62(3 million contribution to the )))! %he )))! currentl# has 3(
capacit# building and ad"isor# pro$ects across 1' countries,
including .i$i, Danuatu, !ndonesia, Dietnam, the Philippines,
;hina, !ndia, *e>ico and ;ambodia.e" data and %acts/ata 0nits
1umerAustralias ,missions in 2005 *t;820e ?12?Australias ,missions
%arget in 2020 *t;820e 533Australias ,missions %arget in 2030
*t;820e &&13&53Australias ,missions %arget 2020 F05 per
cent on 2000 le"els b#2020Australias ,missions %arget 2030 F02?F to
2(F on 2005 le"elsb# 2030-eduction in emissions per capita
200532030 F 50352-eduction in ,missions per unit of )DP 200532030 F
?&3?5Annual rate of reduction in emissions 201032020 F 0'Annual
rate of reduction in emissions 202032030 F
1?31'wwwen"ironmentgo"auwwwdpmcgo"auwwwdfatgo"au2 3ommonwealth o%
Australia) 20&!#%his fact sheet is licensed b# ;ommonwealth of
Australia under a ;reati"e ;ommons Attribution &0 Australia
licence 7
