Towards net zero

Grattan Institute’s five-report series on reducing carbon emissions.

Australia has committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. But projections for our emissions between 2020 and 2030 indicate we are not on track, leaving a very big challenge to reach net-zero within three decades. Closing the gap requires governments to act now to drive emissions reductions this decade.

Grattan Institute’s five-report Towards net zero series recommends policies for all the key sectors that contribute to Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. These recommendations accept today’s political constraints and build on existing policies and priorities with low impact on industries or consumers. Crucially, the policies adjustments we recommend can be scaled up over time as governments set more ambitious emissions-reduction targets in line with achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. 

Action today is crucial to create momentum and to avoid locking in emissions for decades to come. Governments have set the objective; these reports identify the practical, no-regrets policies that can head Australia in the right direction – starting now.