Western Australia aims to cut govt emissions by 80pc

Western Australia's (WA) state government has set a new interim target to cut government emissions by 80pc below 2020 levels by 2030.

The ambitious target applies to emissions from all government sectors in the state, including transport, education, health and emissions from government trading enterprises, the Labor party government announced on 23 June.

The government will introduce new energy efficiency measures, buy more renewable energy, reduce emissions in the government vehicle fleet and use local offsets to achieve its target. The government also aims to continue working with businesses, industry and research institutions to set up viable emissions reduction pathways by developing sectoral emissions reduction strategies.

"This interim target sends a signal to the broader economy that we are serious about tackling climate change and setting up Western Australia for a healthy, prosperous low-carbon future," said WA's premier Mark McGowan.

WA is host to five of the country's LNG projects, is home to Australia's largest oil producing area the Carnarvon basin and is the centre of the country's iron ore export trade.

This new commitment comes on the back of WA's state-owned utility Synergy plan to shut its Collie and Muja coal-fired power plants by 2030.

The state will embark on a transition towards a greater use of renewables. An estimated A$3.8bn ($2.6bn) will be invested into new renewables infrastructure in WA's main power network, the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), which covers the state capital of Perth and the area south of the city.

The state government has also indicated that it will not build any new natural gas-fired power stations in the SWIS after 2030.

But WA could experience a slight shortfall in electricity supplies in the short term. The WA Electricity Statement of Opportunities report from the Australian Energy Market Operator forecasts a minor shortfall of 21MW in the 2025-26 fiscal year to 30 June, following the planned retirement of the Muja C units at the Muja power station in 2024 and as power demand increases.

Australia's new federal Labor government, which won the national election on 20 May, has also deepened its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target to 43pc by 2030 from 2005 levels, in an updated nationally determined contribution. Australia's emissions will drop to around 356mn t of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) by 2030 under the country's new target, based on its emissions level of 625.1mn t of CO2e in 2004-05.

By Prethika Nair

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