Page 1190 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 2 April 2019
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Australia’s most ambitious emission reduction targets, including a 40 per cent reduction in emissions by 2020 on a 1990 baseline. We set out to achieve this target through a combination of energy efficiency initiatives and the procurement of renewable electricity.
I am pleased to say that we are on track to meet our target. By 2020, emissions in the ACT will be 40 per cent lower than 1990 levels, primarily as a result of our 100 per cent renewable electricity target.
I think that we need to acknowledge that a level of global warming is already locked in and that adaptation is required to keep our community safe. That is why the ACT has a climate adaptation strategy, which was released in 2016. Minister Gentleman spoke about this. In April 2018 the government launched our three-year transition to zero emissions vehicles action plan which outlines actions the government will take to accelerate and support the uptake of zero emissions vehicles, both electric cars and electric bikes.
That is the broad policy context in which we are operating. It is worth reflecting on the scenarios we will potentially need to respond to, because our climate is already changing and in the future we can expect more extreme weather events. These trends will continue due to greenhouse gases already in the system. There will be inevitable changes to the planet’s climate in our lifetime. As I have mentioned, some degree of climate change is already locked in and the models indicate that certain consequences will arise from that.
The ACT government has partnered with the New South Wales government to produce the NARCliM high resolution climate projections. It is the latest, best available science that provides the territory with fine scale 10 kilometre by 10 kilometre grid projections and sound scientific data to ultimately inform climate change policymaking. Based on long-term observations, mean temperatures in the ACT have already increased by about one degree Celsius since the 1950s. It is predicted to get hotter than that. Changes to rainfall patterns and an increase in bushfire risk are also likely.
We are likely to see nearly double the number of days over 35 degrees Celsius; a decreased winter and spring rainfall, which will trigger vegetation drought response; increased intensity of extreme rainfall events, which can lead to flash flooding; and an increased number and severity of fire danger days, with the consequent potential for bushfires.
There is more detail behind these broad observations. It is expected that heatwaves will in fact become hotter, more frequent and will last longer. Of course, heatwaves disproportionately affect the most vulnerable Canberrans, including those living in apartments and at the urban fringe. Warmer city temperatures increase the need to cool down buildings, leading to higher energy use and therefore higher household costs. Hot weather reduces the opportunities for people to be active outdoors, including for both recreation and work.
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