In November 2021, Climateworks had the opportunity to respond to the consultation process on the draft bill for amending Tasmania’s Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008. 

Climateworks congratulates the Tasmanian Government on continuing its leading action on climate change through this amendment of its Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008. In particular, we support the intention to legislate a net zero emissions by 2030 target. Climateworks recommends that the amendment of the Act show world-leading action by setting a negative emissions trajectory for Tasmania beyond this near-term target. 

Climateworks supports all other recommendations made by the independent review of the Act. We welcome the intention to consider climate change in the development of government policies, programs and strategies, and to employ a set of guidelines for climate action that include social equity, transparency, and a science-based approach that is aligned to 1.5 degrees of warming. The Government has noted that it does not intend to legislate these actions, but Climateworks recommends that they are legislated. 

Climateworks also welcomes the noted parliamentary oversight of progress towards achieving the net zero target, as well as making Climate Change Action Plans a legislative requirement every five years. We recommend these actions be combined with a legislative requirement for the Act itself to be reviewed every five years, in line with the cycles of the Paris Agreement.