The Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, tabled the Australian Government’s second Annual Climate Change Statement in Parliament.
The statement outlines Australia’s progress in 2023, detailing broader international context and the impacts of climate change - including on the regions, national security, and jobs. It also lays out this year’s achievements and identifies areas for further action.
The Annual Statement is informed by independent advice from the Climate Change Authority. This year the Authority provided a wide-ranging set of 42 recommendations on climate action. The government has accepted the majority (39 of 42) of the Authority’s recommendations.
The government agrees with the Climate Change Authority’s advice that emissions need to decrease at a faster rate to meet Australia’s 2030 target.
The government is taking action to reduce emissions across all sectors of the economy – 2023 highlights include making sure that heavy industry plays its part with reforms to the Safeguard Mechanism and release of the National Electric Vehicle Strategy.
The Emissions Projections 2023 report and National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Quarterly Update – June 2023 were also tabled alongside the Annual Statement and provide a full picture of Australia’s emissions.