Government proposes five pathways to reach carbon neutrality

The ACT Government has released, for public comment, five possible pathways to achieve a 40% reduction in Canberra's greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and carbon neutrality by 2060 Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, announced today.

Mr Corbell revealed details of the government's Weathering the Change - Draft Action Plan 2 today for a of period three months public comment and said the five pathways indentified options ranging from a focus on energy efficiency in buildings to development of renewable energy generation and use of carbon offsets.

"Draft Action Plan 2 is the result of detailed work over the past 12 months by the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate including a range of extensive independent economic analysis of the proposals," Mr Corbell said.

Draft Action Plan 2 outlines five possible pathways to achieve the Territory's legislated greenhouse gas reduction targets, with each pathway offering a different mix of actions through which the ACT can achieve its greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Details of the indicative cost of each proposal to the community as a whole have also been included.

The Five pathways are:

• Pathway1: involves the use of renewable energy as the main strategy for achieving emissions reductions. The purchase of a small component carbon offsets is also included, as current modelling indicates that switching to renewable energy for the total ACT electricity supply will be insufficient to meet the 2020 reduction target. The cost of this proposal per capita in 2020 is $216.32 and per tonne of CO2-e abatement $39.00;

• Pathway 2: involves reductions in GHG emissions from building energy efficiency, sustainable transport and waste recovery with the remaining emissions reductions achieved through switching approximately two thirds of the ACT's electricity supply to renewable energy. The cost of this proposal per capita in 2020 is $12.20 and per tonne of CO2-e abatement is $2.26;

• Pathway 3: is a modification of pathway 2, involving energy produced through installation of gas fired electricity generation rather than renewable energy. Reductions are still achieved from building energy efficiency, sustainable transport and waste recovery under this pathway. Carbon offsets are proposed as gas is a lower emission, not zero emission, technology. The cost of this proposal per capita in 2020 is $(82.99) ( a net benefit) and per tonne of CO2-e abatement -$15.38 ( a net benefit);

• Pathway 4: Similar to pathways 2 and 3, reduction in GHG emissions are achieved from building energy efficiency, sustainable transport and waste recovery. This pathway proposes the purchase of carbon offsets rather than pursuing changes in electricity generation to achieve the targets. The cost of this proposal per capita in 2020 is ($82.99), (a net benefit), and per tonne of CO2-e abatement -$7.24, also a net benefit; and,

• Pathway 5: This pathway proposes the purchase of carbon offsets to achieve the 2020 emissions reduction target in its entirety. The cost of this proposal per capita in 2020 is $131.80 and per tonne of CO2-e abatement $25.00.

Mr Corbell said detailed analysis supporting these proposals have also been released for public information. These reports are:

1) The ACT's Draft Climate Change Action Plan 2: An analysis of pathways, costs and benefits, pitt&sherry July 2011

2) The ACT's Draft Climate Change Action Plan 2: carbon price impacts and costs of measures pitt&sherry September 2011

The release of draft Action Plan 2 today highlights that not only are our greenhouse gas reduction targets achievable, they can also be implemented in a cost effective manner.

"The costing behind the various pathways demonstrates that options are open to our community to achieve these reductions in a manner that provide a net benefit to our community as whole, whilst others, such as the use solely of offsets, are actually a more expensive option," Mr Corbell said.

"I invite the community to have their say on Draft Weathering the Change - Action Plan 2. We welcome views from across the community on how we can move towards a sustainable and carbon neutral Canberra.

"The ACT Labor Government has a clear vision to become a sustainable and carbon neutral city that is successfully adapting to the challenges of climate change."

A series of public forums will be held in in February 2012 to seek feedback on the pathway options. For more information or to join the online discussion visit timetotalk.act.gov.au.