Climate action highlights for 2021-22

The ACT’s climate change actions for 2021-22 have been placed in the spotlight this week with the release of the Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction annual report.

Reducing emissions, increasing our resilience to a changing climate, and making more sustainable choices have never been more urgent. This annual report is a chance for us to reflect on local actions we are taking here in the ACT towards our climate change commitments to become a net zero emissions city by 2045.

This year’s report shows that Canberra continues to be a city with big climate aspirations backed by action. A city that punches above its weight within Australia, and internationally.

In 2021-22, Canberra:

• was powered by 100% renewable electricity for the third year in a row
• achieved a 47% reduction from 1990 levels of emissions
• launched a new electric vehicles training lab at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) and began training mechanics and emergency responders in handling EVs
• installed more than 150 EV chargers across government sites, with another 200 coming online in 2022-23
• continued to support vulnerable households suffering financial stress due to energy bills and help improve the thermal comfort of their homes
• helped households, businesses and schools reduce their emissions through government programs
• funded community projects to support our transition to net zero emissions.

We should all be proud of these achievements, but we still have many challenges ahead to reach a net zero future. Our biggest current challenges are to reduce our emissions from transport and gas, which together account for around 80% of our city’s emissions.

It’s an exciting time for Canberra as we prepare to electrify our city, transition away from the use of fossil fuel gas by 2045, and accelerate the uptake of zero emissions vehicles. The recently announced Pathway to Electrification and ACT Zero Emissions Vehicle Strategy demonstrate Government’s commitment to our 2045 targets and lay the groundwork for a clear path forward.

Everyone has a role to play to tackle climate change and reduce emissions in the ACT. There are many great tools, resources and advice on this website to help you on your journey. Whatever the action, every little bit helps!

Read the full annual report [PDF 14MB] and find out more by visiting the Everyday Climate Choices website.