Australian Senate passes 2050 law for net zero emissions

The Australian Parliament has signed into law the government’s proposed legislation for cutting the country’s carbon dioxide emissions by 43% by 2030 and pursuing a 2050 net-zero goal.

The legislation received a positive vote on Thursday, a month after it was passed in the lower house of parliament. The bill was cleared by the Senate with a vote of 37 to 30 following a recommendation from the Senate Environment and Communication Legislation Committee at the end of August.

The new carbon emissions goal represents a 15 percentage point increase from Australia’s previous 2030 target.

“The passage of the Climate Change legislation sends a message to the world that Australia is serious about driving down emissions, and serious about reaping the economic opportunities from affordable renewable energy,” said Chris Bowen, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy.

“Legislating these targets gives certainty to investors and participants in the energy market and will help stabilise our energy system," Bowen added.

Under the new law, Australia’s Climate Change Authority, an independent statutory body, will advise the government and state agencies on how to embed the targets in their programmes and objectives.

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