Climateworks Centre experts are available to comment on the Australian Government's Productivity Commission report 'Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation.'
Dr Portia Odell, Cities System Lead
‘Without further action Australia’s transport sector will be the largest source of emissions by 2030 based on the Australian government’s latest emissions projections. A bigger-picture approach including strong EV uptake and decarbonisation for heavy vehicles, and investment in public and active transport will give Australians more choices in how they move.'
'While the Productivity Commission didn’t make a specific recommendation around road user charging in this report, it rightly notes that well-designed charging can help shift drivers towards zero-emissions vehicles.'
'Road user charging is a powerful lever that can provide clear incentives for road users to shift to zero emissions cars and trucks, reduce traffic congestion and provide sustainable funding for low and zero emission transport choices - all of which are important for lowering emissions while improving the efficiency of transport networks.'
Anna Malos, Australia Country Lead
Improving buildings infrastructure:
'The Productivity Commission recommendation that Australia’s buildings are rated for resilience would help to address people's comfort, welfare and health. This is not just about what happens during disasters like bushfires, major storms and floods - it is also about addressing the serious risks of heatwaves and cold snaps.'
'Australia can look beyond power bills and upfront costs when assessing policy to support climate-resilient housing.'
'The real benefits are seen in healthier families, better sleep, fewer sick days and hospital visits, and less pressure on emergency services during heatwaves or on temporary housing after disasters.'
'Strong policy support for resilience is simply good governance: it manages known risks and ensures all homes can be climate‑ready by 2035. Coordinated action across health, housing and energy can reduce costs and improve productivity.'
'Home Energy Rating Disclosure is already gaining traction in different states, and it makes sense to add resilience too for households to have the full picture.'
Improving planning and permitting for energy infrastructure:
‘Australia’s ambition to become a renewable energy superpower depends on reimagining the way projects are planned and approved.’
‘Flipping the script for renewable energy approvals from a project-by-project basis to an upfront national assessment that balances energy, nature and community could fast-track approvals.'
‘It would help to identify areas best suited for projects and, importantly, enable early engagement with communities to boost co-benefits and overall buy-in.'
‘The recommendations in the Productivity Commissions report create useful advice for the government on additional steps. Earlier this year, Climateworks and the Clean Energy Investor Group explored a range of relevant issues with government participants to see what was working and identify gaps - available in a newly released paper.'
'The recent Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act reforms are a welcome step forward, but they alone won’t deliver the scale of change required.’
For interviews, please contact:
Ella Healy | +61 492 265 437 | [email protected]
Climateworks Centre bridges the gap between research and climate action, operating as an independent not-for-profit within Monash University for the past 15 years. Climateworks Centre develops specialist knowledge to accelerate emissions reduction, in line with the global 1.5°C temperature goal, across Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
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