ACT Climate Change Strategy
2019 to 2025
The ACT is committed to net zero emissions by 2045. We’re following the ACT Climate Change Strategy to help cut emissions by 50 to 60% (from 1990 levels) by 2025. We can all take action to reduce emissions for a more liveable city now and in the future.
About the current strategy
The ACT Climate Change Strategy 2019–2025 is helping our city reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate change.
The strategy is helping us:
- build resilience to climate change impacts
- make sure we don’t ‘lock in’ future emissions
- lay the foundations for our commitment to net zero emissions by 2045.
Read the full strategy [PDF 11.4 MB] or executive summary [PDF 1.6 MB].
When developing the 2019-2025 strategy, we talked to our community and stakeholders. Then we built the strategy around their priorities, interests and expectations. Read the Community Engagement Report.
Targets
The ACT is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2045 (based on 1990 levels). We’ll get there progressively. We aim to reduce emissions by:
- 50 to 60% by 2025
- 65 to 75% by 2030
- 90 to 95% by 2040.
The targets are legislated under the Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act 2010. This Act was independently reviewed in 2021. Read the review [PDF 1.2 MB] and response [PDF 252.1 KB].
The strategy outlines the steps the government will take to achieve these emissions reductions targets. We all have a role to play.
Developing the next ACT climate change strategy
The ACT is developing a new climate change strategy to guide our next phase of action beyond 2025.
Achieving net zero emissions by 2045 will require collective action. Everyone - households, businesses, industry, and community groups - has a role in building a resilient, zero-emissions ACT.
Our new Climate Change Strategy will be an overarching framework for 2026–35. It will outline key outcomes, highlight the work already underway, and identify gaps and opportunities across major themes.
This long-term Climate Change Strategy will be supported by shorter-term action plans. These will focus on immediate priorities and give us the flexibility to respond to new issues and community needs as they emerge.
Consultation
We’re committed to working collaboratively to shape the ACT’s next Climate Change Strategy. Over the coming years, we’ll need to navigate complex challenges and take advantage of new opportunities, and your feedback is vital to our success.
Stakeholder consultation
In late 2025, the ACT Government completed targeted stakeholder consultation to inform the final discussion paper to support community consultation.
Participants represented community organisations, businesses, academia, environmental groups and government, and contributed early feedback to help ACT Government better shape its priorities and themes to bring to the Canberra community for feedback.
Read the draft discussion paper [PDF 3.5 MB].
The stakeholder consultation report summarises what we heard during this first consultation phase. Read the report.
Community consultation
The ACT community is invited to provide feedback to help shape the next ACT Climate Change Strategy. All ACT residents are encouraged to get involved and have their say in this next phase of ACT Government climate action
Consultation will be open from 29 January to 18 March 2026. To have your say on ACT Climate Change Strategy 2026-35, visit the ACT Government’s YourSay Conversations webpage.
If you have any questions about the next ACT Climate Change Strategy, please contact climatechange@act.gov.au
Why it’s important
Our climate is already changing because of greenhouse gas emissions. If we act now, we can create a liveable future for our community and future generations.
While fighting climate change, these strategies also creates other benefits for the community. These include:
- cost savings
- more comfortable homes
- a cooler and more liveable city
- attracting zero emissions research, business and investment, and job opportunities to the ACT.
Measuring change
We measure the ACT’s greenhouse gas emissions over time. See how the ACT is tracking with emissions reductions.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.