NSW emissions reduction laws at odds with Eraring extension, say environmental groups
By Laura Chung
Environmental groups have welcomed the NSW government’s decision to legislate greenhouse gas emission targets, but say it flies in the face of recent energy decisions.
Under the rules, announced on Thursday, the government will enshrine in law its emissions reduction target of at least 50 per cent by 2030 and net zero by 2050, as well as create a stand-alone Department for Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water.
NSW Minister for Climate Change, Energy and the Environment Penny Sharpe said climate change is already costing the state through more frequent and more extreme weather events.Credit: Kate Geraghty
The announcement, which was initially flagged during the election cycle, comes weeks after the government said it could draw on taxpayer funds to keep Eraring, the nation’s largest coal power station, open longer than its owners intended.
Head of advocacy at the Climate Council, Dr Jennifer Rayner, said extending Eraring made it impossible to ensure emissions targets would be met.
“Shutting Eraring on time is critical to tackling the climate crisis. The science is clear – there’s no room for coal station extensions,” she said.
“The renewable energy boom is our best shot at tackling the climate crisis. NSW can create thousands of new clean energy jobs, drive down power bills and continue to deliver reliable electricity supply for homes and businesses, but it needs to rule out keeping Eraring open past 2025 to do so.”
The NSW government says new legislation addressing emissions reduction targets will help with its renewable energy transition.Credit: James Brickwood
Nature Conservation Council of NSW chief executive Jacqui Mumford welcomed the rules, but said short-term decisions to prop up Eraring could undermine the state’s environmental record.
“That means new fossil fuel projects such as Angus Place West coal mine or the coal seam gas in the Pilliga/Biliga cannot go ahead,” she said. “Native forest logging and habitat clearing for agricultural development must also end – the more than 10 million tonnes of carbon they release annually accounts for more emissions than every house in Sydney.”
Minister for Climate Change, Energy and the Environment Penny Sharpe said climate change was costing the state through more frequent and more extreme weather events, droughts, floods and other disasters.
Under the changes, the government will also establish the Net Zero Commission, an independent body that will monitor the state’s progress toward achieving its emission reduction targets, as well as report annually to ensure parliamentary transparency and accountability.
“Legislating 2030 and 2050 targets and creating an independent Net Zero Commission fulfils a commitment to the people of NSW that the government will take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and continue the renewable transformation of our energy system,” Sharpe said.
The former state government committed to a 70 per cent emissions reduction target by 2035 but had refused to legislate it.
NSW Premier Chris Minns earlier this year dismissed that commitment as “some media release” while conceding his government’s own target would be “tricky” to meet.
He said the people of NSW expected their government to act on climate change.
“Enshrining targets in law shows the NSW Labor government is serious about reaping the benefits of driving down emissions and moving to more affordable, renewable energy,” he said.
Lock the Gate Alliance NSW coordinator Nic Clyde said the 10 coal projects being considered by the government would produce almost 2 billion tonnes of greenhouse pollution. That is more than 14 times the state’s total annual emissions.
“While the legislation introduced today is a good start, it is sadly inadequate to protect NSW communities from the ravages of climate chaos given the pipeline of new coal projects likely to be approved,” he said.
Clyde added coal mine approvals should sit under the newly formed, and independent, Net Zero Commission.
“Otherwise, it’s very likely that decision makers will continue to prioritise the approval of polluting coal mines over NSW communities who are left to deal with the ravages of extreme weather fuelled by climate change,” he added.
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