Australia is playing our part in responding to the critical global challenge of climate change.
We are on track to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and we have a clear plan to achieve it, focused on technologies and not taxes.
Our emissions are already 20% lower than in 2005 (the baseline for the Paris Agreement). Thats lower than any year under the last Labor government.
We are on track to meet and beat our 2030 Paris target, with latest projections showing a 30-35% reduction.
Between 2005-2019, Australia has reduced our emissions more quickly than Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the United States.
Australia has a strong record of meeting our targets having beaten our 2020 Kyoto target by 459 million tonnes.
Well achieve our net zero target through technology, not taxes.
Our technology-driven Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan sets out a credible pathway to net zero by 2050, while preserving our existing industries, establishing Australia as a leader in low emissions technologies, and positioning our regions to prosper.
This decade, the Government will invest more than $22 billion in low emissions technologies, driving over $88 billion of total investment to reduce emissions while growing the economy and creating jobs across Australia.
Our approach to reducing emissions has been effective. Australias emissions are more than 100 million tonnes lower today than where Labor said they would be under Labors carbon tax.
Australias investment in renewable energy continues to break records with renewables now making up almost one third of our energy mix.
Australia has the worlds highest uptake of rooftop solar, with one in four homes with rooftop solar panels.
Across Governments and the private sector over $40 billion has been invested in renewable energy in Australia since 2017.
In 2020 alone, Australia deployed more renewable energy than in the six years of the previous Labor government.
The Morrison Government is investing in big projects including Snowy 2.0 (one of the largest pumped hydro projects in the southern hemisphere) and Tasmanias Battery of the Nation pumped-hydro.
The Coalition Governments green bank has just hit its $10 billion investment milestone, supporting more than 26,000 emission reduction and energy efficiency projects across Australia.
We are also making carefully considered and targeted investments in transmission projects to support new renewables coming online - including investing a further $84 million in microgrids for remote communities.
The Morrison Government is leading the way on waste and recycling. We want to see less waste going to our oceans and landfill, and more reused and recycled.
No longer are we exporting plastic, paper, tyres and glass waste. Instead, were recycling it here in Australia and creating over 10,000 jobs in the process.
In the words of the Prime Minister: Its our waste, its our responsibility.
Our $280 million Recycling Modernisation Fund is driving a $1 billion transformation of the waste and recycling sector.Already 87 new projects across Australia are turning the tide on waste management and weve launched the ReMade in Australia trademark to give Australians confidence that products have been remade here.
Our plan will significantly increase recycling rates, tackle plastic litter, improve battery recycling and halve food waste by 2030.
The Great Barrier Reef is a global tourism icon, a unique ecosystem and a wonder of the natural world. It contributes around $6.4 billion a year to Australias economy, supporting 64,000 jobs.
We are committed to protecting it.
In this years Budget, we further strengthened our Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan with an additional $1 billion, with our total investment now more than $3 billion - improving water quality, fighting crown of thorns starfish and conducting research into reef restoration and adaptation.
We are safeguarding our wildlife for future generations by investing $6 billion for threatened species, habitat restoration, marine conservation and environmental projects - including funding $74 million dedicated to koala recovery and conservation.
This investment reinforces our existing Threatened Species Strategy that puts vulnerable plants and animals on a better path.
Maintaining and expanding our protected areas on both land and sea is one of the best ways to look after our natural environment. Weve expanded Indigenous Protected Areas covering more than 104 million hectares and declared two new Marine Protected Areas in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island. These Marine Parks are twice the size of the Great Barrier Reef and are home to many native species.
Weve also achieved more than 90,000 hectares of weed control and over 3 million hectares of pest animal control.
Around $1 billion is being invested in Landcare between 2018 and 2023.
This includes Land Partnerships, to protect our threatened species, restore wetlands, and improve soil health on farms.
Landcare delivers practical actions on the ground in partnership with local communities and environmental groups.
In recent months we have seen devastating floods across New South Wales and South-East Queensland.
We stand with communities to support them as they rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
Total support to families, farmers, small businesses, local governments and their communities is expected to exceed $6 billion.
The Australian Government has allocated $2.8 billion to recovery including the $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery fund.
$200 million has been invested to help native wildlife and their habitats recover from the devastating impacts of the 2019-20 bushfires.
The $200 million Environment Restoration Fund is protecting, preserving and restoring our iconic natural landscapes.
The Morrison Government is further supporting our national parks, investing over $233 million in upgrades to parks including Uluru, Kakadu, Christmas Island and Booderee National Park.
The Morrison Government is protecting our oceans by: increasing our Marine Park coverage to cover around 45% of our oceans; restoring seagrasses, mangroves and salt marshes; and supporting marine life conservation while creating Indigenous employment.
Our $200 million Environment Restoration Fund will help improve the water quality of the Yarra, Swan, Canning, Torrens, Brisbane, Georges, Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers.
The Liberal and Nationals Government is investing over $2.8 billion to enhance Australias Antarctic operations and science capabilities. This includes funding for research, operations and a new ice breaker RSV Nuyina - now at sea.
We are constructing a modern station at Macquarie Island to provide year-round capability for scientific monitoring and priority research.
Information current as at May 2022
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