LEAN congratulates the Andrews government for the foresight of the Climate Change Act 2017 which provides Victoria with a world-leading legislative foundation to manage climate change risks, maximise the opportunities that arise from decisive action, and drive our transition to a climate resilient community and economy.
Now is the time to have your say about what Victoria should do over the next five years and beyond to set the State on a pathway to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
LEAN Victoria will be making a submission in response to the government's Independent Expert Panel on Interim Emissions Reduction Targets (2021-2030).
We very much encourage you as LEAN members to do the same.
The due date is 22 July 2019.
The more responses the better!
Please visit the Engage Victoria website to make a submission today:
https://engage.vic.gov.au/climate-change-reducing-victorias-greenhouse-gas-emissions
- The climate emergency and what it means for the economic and social well being(including health) of present and future generations of Victorians
- The need to accelerate reductions in carbon emissions to reach a net zero position no later than and preferably ahead of the targets in the report from the Independent Expert Panel on Interim Emissions Reduction Targets chaired by the Hon Greg Combet AM.
- The need to do this through actions that empower and encourage individuals communities, and organisations (private and public) to accelerate their changes to how we live and work in ways that build economic and social well-being and resilience in each region of Victoria, and that also, overall, improve the health and resilience each region’s natural environment and its ability to withstand climate change and population pressures
- The need for those actions to address concurrently, pro-actively and in a planned systematic way both:
a) Victoria’s reduction of carbon emissions from all primary industries as well as from the energy, power, mining and manufacturing and transport sectors; and also
b) Victoria’s adaptation of all sectors of its economy, of rural and regional as well as urban areas, to the challenges, risks and uncertainties posed by that climate which is inevitable
- The need for the design and implementation of those actions to both recognise and seize opportunities for the progressive development of Victoria and its people, and also to spread fairly and equitably the burdens of dealing with the challenges and risks to economic and social well-being posed by climate change.
At a national level:
- National emissions and renewable energy targets
- Replacing the EPBC Act with a new national Environment Act and stronger environmental planning and regulatory bodies that together would provide national leadership and governance of actions to not just protect but to restore our natural environment
- Reducing carbon pollution and boosting renewable energy by setting a timeline for powering Victoria’s public transport systems with renewable energy.
- Prioritising procurement of electric vehicles where practicable, to phase out combustion engines in the Victorian government fleet and encourage growth in the second hand electric vehicle market.
- Planing a staged roll-out of electric vehicle charging stations, with a preference for locally built parts and locally sourced materials.
- Establishing a research & development centre focused on maximising local manufacturing opportunities in clean transport.
- Monitoring, accounting for and reducing emissions in primary industries such as farming and forestry
- The need for public sector ownership or effective control / regulation of strategically important systems and infrastructure