Govind Tekale
Australia has set a new climate target to reduce emissions by 62-70% below 2005 levels by 2035. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will take this target to the United Nations as part of Australia’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
The government calls the target “ambitious and achievable,” backing it with Treasury modeling and plans for specific sectors. These include roadmaps for electricity, transport, agriculture, buildings, industry, and resources.
“It’s promising to see a clear mid-term target because the risks of inaction are no longer distant, they’re here,” said Professor Deanna D’Alessandro, director of the University of Sydney’s Net Zero Institute. “Decarbonisation isn’t just about climate. It’s about economic security, national security, and protecting Australia’s future.”
The target comes with about $8 billion in funding, including $5 billion for a Net Zero Fund, $2 billion from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, $1.1 billion for clean fuels, and $40 million for electric vehicle charging stations.
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Several policies support the target. The Safeguard Mechanism requires big polluters to reduce emissions. New vehicle efficiency standards aim to cut transport emissions. The Capacity Investment Scheme and Rewiring the Nation program focus on electricity grid expansion and reliability.
However, the target has drawn mixed reactions. Some environmental groups and the Greens party say it doesn’t go far enough, pointing to the UK’s more ambitious target of 81% cuts by 2035. Critics also highlight Australia’s continuing role as a major coal and gas exporter, creating a gap between domestic goals and export emissions.
Business groups like the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry view the target as ambitious but stress the importance of keeping energy affordable and reliable during the transition.
Climate experts note that achieving this target means Australia must cut emissions in half between now and 2035 across all economic sectors. Some question whether the target truly aligns with limiting global warming to 1.5°C as outlined in the Paris Agreement.
Meanwhile, Australia’s national climate risk assessment warns that climate impacts could threaten homes and livelihoods for more than a million Australians by 2050, highlighting why mid-term targets matter.
A key focus is jobs. Critics often claim climate action costs jobs, but evidence suggests otherwise.
“While some argue this will cost jobs, slow the economy, and lower living standards, the evidence shows the opposite: investment in clean energy creates more jobs than fossil fuels,” said Luisa F. Bedoya Taborda, Environmental Lawyer and PhD candidate at the University of Sydney.
Clean energy already employs about 30,000 people in regional Australia, with projections of 40,000 jobs by 2030. A Clean Energy Council study found that under an 82% renewables scenario by 2030, Australia would gain tens of thousands of jobs in construction and maintenance of renewable energy facilities.
By contrast, fossil fuel employment makes up only about 1% of total Australian jobs and is declining.
The new target represents a significant step for Australia’s climate policy. Success will depend on implementing comprehensive measures across all sectors while managing costs and ensuring reliable energy supply during the transition.
