Executive Director Simon Copland said the document is vague and does little more than restate what’s already been said. “We are in the middle of a heatwave being fueled by global heating. At a time when climate impacts are intensifying, and the community expects real leadership, this discussion paper offers no new goals and no credible plan to get us there,” he said. “It reads like a hastily put-together placeholder — not a framework for action.”
“The ACT is falling behind on climate action, ” Copland continued. “Last year the Minister for Environment and Climate Suzanne Orr announced the Territory had missed our 2025 interim target and is not on track to achieve our goal of net zero. Meanwhile, states such as Victoria are introducing new policies to reduce emissions that are well advanced of our own. This document offers nothing to catch us up.”
“This discussion paper is not worth the time and energy it has taken the public service to write it, let alone the hours community groups have put into consultation. We are beyond ‘discussion’ — we need bold policy, firm timelines, and real leadership that matches both scientific evidence and the strong public demand for climate action.”
The Royalla Solar Farm – one of the successes of climate action in Canberra. Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Royalla_Solar_Farm_2.JPG
The Conservation Council calls on the ACT Government to sharpen its vision and develop a strategy that genuinely responds to the scale of the climate crisis. This strategy should reinstate the ACT as a national and global climate leader, and include, but not be limited to:
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bringing forward Canberra’s commitment to net zero emissions by five years to 2040;
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reducing emissions by speeding up the phase out of fossil fuel infrastructure and significantly increasing investment in public and active transport, all while ensuring we don’t leave vulnerable Canberrans behind;
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adapting to the impacts of climate change by improving the design of our urban areas, increasing our urban forest, and ensuring we are prepared for extreme weather events;
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other policy measures as outlined in the Conservation Council ACT Region climate policy.
“The Government needs to step up its ambition,” Copland said. “The community wants action that protects our environment, our health and our future — not hollow words. Canberrans deserve a climate strategy with clear, measurable outcomes and real accountability — not another vague discussion paper.”