PLEA Network

9 June 2016, Renew Economy, Victorian government targets net zero emissions by 2050. The Victorian Labor government has pledged to get the state – host to the country’s remaining brown coal generators – to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with the release of a series of five-year interim climate change policies and programs. The yet to be legislated, long-term emissions reduction target comes in response to the recommendations of the 2015 Independent Review of the Climate Change Act 2010, most of which have been accepted by the Andrews government. The supporting policies, released by Premier Daniel Andrews and climate and energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio on Thursday, include a wide-ranging emissions reduction pledge program for the private, government and community sectors. The government said the pledge program – called TAKE2 – would give those businesses and organisations already acting on climate change the opportunity to showcase their efforts and to build on it; while also inspiring others to take action. Participation in the program will also give businesses and organisations a say on the development of a 2020 interim emissions reduction target for the state, which the government plans to have in place by the end of the year. Further to the review’s recommendations, the government has also committed to amend the Climate Change Act (CCA) to require a Victorian Climate Change Strategy every five years, incorporating mitigation and adaptation; require integrated Adaptation Action Plans for key climate exposed sectors; and embed climate mitigation and adaptation as a key consideration in government decision making. Read more here