New South Wales throws down the gauntlet with new net zero plan

ENERGY efficiency experts say the NSW Government’s plan for meeting its new 2030 climate target is comprehensive, credible and achievable, and sets a new benchmark for action from other states.

The NSW Government has announced a target of reducing statewide emissions by 35 percent by 2030, and released a net zero plan setting out the detailed actions that will get them there.

Council CEO Luke Menzel said NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean has thrown down the gauntlet to his ministerial colleagues around the country.

“Every Australian state has set a goal of hitting net zero emissions by 2050. However the NSW Government is the first with a detailed plan for what they are going to do, right now, to begin driving this economic transformation," Mr Menzel said.

Mr. Menzel said the NSW Government’s plan did two crucial things.

“In the short term, it scales up deployment of cost effective technology that immediately cuts carbon and energy costs for families and businesses,” he said. “However it also has an eye to the future, supporting industry to gain experience with new ways of operating – like electrifying manufacturing processes – that will become crucial to emissions reduction efforts later this decade.”

The NSW plan:

• includes new funding for an expanded Energy Efficiency Program that will ramp up the NSW Government’s existing support for smart energy use across the state;
• commits $450 million over 10 years to an Emissions Intensity Reduction Program, which assist the rollout of cutting edge low carbon technologies in sectors where it is harder to reduce emissions;
• includes a range of other measures, including strategic investments in hydrogen, expanding building rating programs and reducing embodied carbon in building products.

Mr. Menzel said that NSW’s leadership position on emissions reduction was smart.

“This isn’t just an environmental policy, its an economic one,” Mr Menzel said.

“It is a blueprint for cutting the emissions of existing industries, and capturing the opportunities of a net zero economy.”

About the EEC

The Energy Efficiency Council is a not-for-profit membership association for businesses, universities, governments and NGOs. Founded in 2009, the Council’s members are diverse, but are united by a common cause: building a sophisticated market for energy management products and services that delivers: Healthy, comfortable buildings; productive, competitive businesses; and an affordable, reliable and sustainable energy system for Australia.

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