Introducing Queensland’s Emission Reduction Targets

Last week the Queensland Government introduced its Clean Economy Jobs Bill 2024 (the Bill) which sets out ambitions, targets and strategies to expedite the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Queensland and accelerate the shift towards renewable energy sources.


Overview of the Bill

The Bill proposes to create a new Act entitled the Clean Economy Jobs Act 2024 which will legislate Queensland’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. These targets are to

  • reduce Queensland emissions to 30% below 2005 levels by 2030;
  • reduce Queensland emissions to 75% below 2005 levels by 2035; and
  • achieve net zero Queensland emissions by 2050.

It further requires interim emissions reduction targets for 2040 and 2045 to be set out 10 years in advance.

The Bill imposes a requirement for annual statements to be published outlining Queensland’s progress towards its emissions reduction targets. Sector-based emissions reduction plans will also be developed under the Bill. These plans will present an analysis of the emissions trends of Queensland’s key sectors and describe actions to be undertaken by the sector to contribute to achieving emissions reduction targets.

Finally, the Bill proposes to establish a ‘Clean Economy Expert Panel’ to advise the Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs about achieving the emissions reduction targets and ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Queensland. In his introduction to the Bill, Premier Steven Miles advised the panel supports the development of sector-based plans, including:

  • plans to secure ongoing global investment in our manufacturing, agriculture and resources industries;
  • plans to work towards 24-hour renewable energy to power existing heavy industries and for reshoring manufacturing across our regions;
  • a plan to assist our agricultural producers to capture the economic benefits from natural capital and carbon farming and to access low-emission fertilisers;
  • a plan to support lower emission technologies and capture emissions from existing mines for steelmaking coal to make them the most efficient in the world;
  • a plan to work with the expertise from our natural gas industry to grow a new green hydrogen industry; and
  • a plan to support vehicle fleets to move to zero emissions and create even more local manufacturing jobs in the electric vehicle supply chain.

The intention of this Bill is to enshrine the State’s emissions reduction commitments in law and to aid in mitigating the impacts of climate change. In this way it mirrors the Commonwealth’s Climate Change Act 2022 (Cth), which legislates Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

The Bill is silent as to what occurs if Queensland fails to meet the proposed targets. It also makes no comment as to the strategies or policies that will be put in place under the emissions reductions plans to ensure these targets can be met. In this way the Bill is only part of the Queensland Government’s Climate Action Plan.

The Climate Action Plan includes the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan. To implement this, the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023 (the Energy Bill) is currently before the Queensland Parliament. The Energy Bill seeks to:

  • legislate Queensland’s renewable energy targets;
  • legislate Queensland’s commitment to ongoing public ownership of energy assets;
  • provide a legislative basis for the SuperGrid Infrastructure Blueprint;
  • establish the framework for the declaration and management of Renewable Energy Zones; and
  • establish the Job Security Guarantee Fund.

Current status: Consultation

The Bill has been referred to the Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee (Committee) who will table their report on 5 April 2024. Once the report has been tabled, the Government has three months to respond to the report’s recommendations (if any).

The Energy Bill is also before the Committee, with a report due 1 March 2024.

|By James Plumb, Elizabeth Harvey & Erin O’Shaughnessy

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