We, like many Tasmanians, are rightly proud of our island and our clean green reputation. We love our beaches, our wild places, and the close-knit communities that make this place home. But we’re now living with a growing sense of unease.
Climate change isn’t a far-off threat anymore. It’s here. Rising insurance costs, intensifying bushfire seasons, and destructive storms are already touching the lives of too many Tasmanians.
And yet, our main law to help us pull our weight in this crisis and adapt to the impacts – the state’s Climate Change Act – is failing.
Our young people deserve more than a piece of legislation that uses sleight of hand to conceal stalled progress on emissions reduction and adaptation action.
For years we’ve been told that Tasmania is a climate leader, that we’ve already reached the pinnacle of climate progress – “net zero.” But that claim is built on a shaky foundation. Our net zero status largely depends on previously logged forests sucking up carbon to “offset” all our emissions from transport, industry, agriculture and energy.
Readers might be shocked to learn that our climate pollution from these sectors has not reduced over the last thirty years. Meanwhile, other states are leaping ahead of us. South Australia and Victoria have now overtaken us with lower absolute emissions per person. If other states can make genuine progress in emissions reduction, then why can’t we?
One way that Tasmania can become more competitive is by improving its Climate Change Act so that we see more genuine action on climate change.
Luckily, we now have a rare opportunity to speak up and improve the Act, which is currently undergoing an independent review. The independent reviewer is asking for people’s views on the Climate Change Act and anyone can provide them with feedback. We must demand that the Act be drastically improved.
Our Climate Change Act is failing to make a difference. To make it more effective there are a number of things that can be done.
Firstly, we should introduce absolute emissions reduction targets alongside our net zero target. Adopting absolute targets would provide a more direct and transparent measure of our progress.
Tasmanians want to keep our clean reputation with real reductions in climate pollution across all sectors. These reductions must be genuine – dodgy offsets and accounting tricks won’t drive down insurance and food bills. We want to enjoy the benefits of using less coal, gas, petrol and diesel – including the cost savings and less reliance on imported energy.
We are still buying appliances and vehicles that run on gas, petrol and diesel, with an expectation that these assets can be used for their full lifespan. It is not fair to allow people to be burdened with what must become “stranded assets” as these climate polluting fuels are phased out.
But reducing emission alone won’t keep Tasmanians safe.
We need a statewide adaptation plan which mandates real action on the ground. Last year, the Tasmanian Climate Change Risk Assessment made it clear what’s happening now and what’s coming. What’s missing is action. Communities need support through smarter town planning and land-use and a whole of government approach to help us cope with the more extreme weather, more often. We also need clear public education so people can prepare and protect themselves.
Above all, we need accountability.
An independent Climate Change Authority is needed to set targets, track progress, and give frank and fearless advice that isn’t filtered by political convenience.
A dedicated Minister for Climate Change should be held directly responsible for meeting targets.
Climate action must also be built into every decision across government, because climate change affects every part of our lives.
Tasmania has an opportunity to show the kind of leadership our future generations deserve. We can no longer rely on spin or outdated claims of being “net zero.” We must fix the Climate Change Act to match the scale of the crisis – it must be ambitious, transparent, and accountable.
To make it easy for all Tasmanians, the volunteers in the Tasmanian Climate Collective have worked with the experts in Climate Tasmania to create science-based tip sheets for this Review of the Climate Change Act.
These guides are available on our website and help your views have impact in the survey, submission form or even a quick post on the ideas wall.
The reviewers have made it easy for everyone to engage in this important process in a range of different ways.
Feedback to the review closes on 7 September. This is our moment to insist on a science based Climate Change Act that protects Tasmanian people, our communities, and the natural world we all depend on. We cannot afford to sit this one out.
Dr Donnacha McGrath, Policy Lead, Tasmanian Climate Collective
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