Wednesday, 31 May 2023

Climate change

Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (09:55): Victoria is leading the nation on climate action. We have set world-leading emissions reduction targets. We are going to halve emissions by 2030, cut them by 75 to 80 per cent by 2035 and, most importantly, reach net zero by 2045. We have cut emissions more than any other state since 2014, and we have the earliest net zero emissions target of any major jurisdiction in Australia. These targets align us with the Paris agreement goals of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Our ambitious emissions reduction targets represent Victoria doing its fair share to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and we are on the fastest decarbonisation path in the country.

I am proud to be part of a government that is delivering real action on climate. We are not slowing down. We will continue to take bold action across our economy to reduce emissions and create jobs, backed by $3 billion in climate-positive investment. By 2035 we will be generating 95 per cent of our electricity from renewables, and we are bringing back the SEC to deliver government-owned renewable energy. We are investing to reduce transport emissions to support the switch to zero-emissions transport. By 2025, public bus purchases will have zero emissions. We are supporting farmers, we are planting trees and we are delivering real climate action, and this is what delivering real climate action looks like.