Qld emissions target could be reviewed after $62b energy plan

In the wake of the Queensland Government’s $62 billion renewable energy plan, the state may revisit its lagging emissions target.

The Queensland government could adopt a more ambitious emissions reduction target in the wake of its new energy plan unveiled by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last week.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon has told The Courier-Mail the government was now working through the impact that the energy plan – and other initiatives – would have on the state’s emissions.

Queensland’s interim target to reduce emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels lags behind the new national target of 43 per cent, as well as NSW’s 50 per cent target and Victoria’s 45 to 50 per cent goal.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced last week that the government would accelerate its renewable energy target so that it reached 70 per cent by 2032 and 80 per cent by 2035.

But there were no changes made to Queensland’s emissions reduction target as part of the government’s new energy plan.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon

“We’ve always said we could do more on climate change with a federal government that is prepared to join us in doing the work,” Ms Scanlon said on Sunday, when asked about the emissions target.

“We are working through the significant impact the energy plan, other sectoral plans and new announcements by the Commonwealth will have on Queensland’s emissions.

“Our $62bn Energy and Jobs Plan will cut emissions from the state’s largest emitting sector by 90 per cent by 2035.”

WWF head of oceans Richard Leck said conservation groups would want Queensland to adopt “at least” a similar target to the federal government’s 43 per cent reduction by 2030 goal.

“Obviously conservation groups like WWF want to see much greater ambition on reducing emissions than the current target indicates,” he said.

“I think one of the first things the Queensland government needs to do is undertake modelling to work out what their new commitments mean in terms of emissions reduction. And reset their target on that basis, but also on the basis of what the natural world needs.”

Former US vice president and climate change advocate Al Gore took to social media on Sunday to praise the government’s plan to move away from coal power, saying: “We need to see action like this around the world.”