Western Australia to Enshrine Net-Zero Carbon Emissions in Law by 2050

Western Australia has announced plans to legislate its commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. While the state government had previously committed to reducing public sector emissions by 80% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels and to become net-zero by 2050, these new goals will now apply to the entire economy. The legislation is expected to go before parliament later this year.The government has been consulting with industries over how they can reduce their emissions since late 2021.

Potential environmental impact:

The legislation is expected to send a clear message to businesses and the community about the government’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and will stimulate investment in new technologies and infrastructure. This, in turn, will result in economies of scale and help in achieving the net-zero target. However, given the state’s heavy reliance on high-emitting industries such as mining, resources, and agriculture, the hurdle to achieving this goal is high. The government’s plan to close all coal-fired power plants by 2030 will help to reduce emissions, but more will be needed to achieve the 2050 target.