Meeting Victoria’s targets
Victoria’s targets are ambitious but achievable, building on trends and actions already underway. Victoria’s emissions have been falling since 2010. We beat the 2020 target and by 2021, Victoria’s emissions had fallen by 32% below 2005 levels.
Key actions the Victorian Government is already taking to cut emissions include:
- increasing the 2030 Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) to 65% and setting a VRET new target of 95% renewable electricity generation by 2035
- putting electricity back in the hands of Victorians by bringing back the State Electricity Commission (SEC)
- setting the biggest energy storage targets in Australia
- setting a target for 50% of new light vehicle sales to be zero emissions vehicles – powered by electricity, hydrogen and other clean new fuels – by 2030
- working towards the world’s first carbon-neutral pasture-based dairy farm.
The Victorian Government will continue to work with communities and businesses to build on these actions and meet the state’s climate action targets. Victoria’s Climate Change Act 2017 sets a framework to keep developing new policies to meet the targets, called sector pledges. The next set of pledges, for 2026-2030, are due in 2025.
Victoria’s climate action targets can be met with known technologies and solutions – and there is more than one way to get there. By 2035, all sectors of Victoria’s economy will be on their way to net zero emissions.
Illustrative pathway and key changes from today to Victoria’s 2035 target
Want to know more?
Determination of Victoria’s 2035 target was informed by the following:
Victoria’s 2035 Emissions Reduction Target: Supporting Analysis (PDF, 938.9 KB): a summary of the modelling exercises informing Victoria’s 2035 emissions reduction target
Victoria’s 2035 Emissions Reduction Target: Supporting Analysis (DOCX, 552.1 KB): a summary of the modelling exercises informing Victoria’s 2035 emissions reduction target - accessible version
Victoria’s 2035 climate action target (PDF, 5.5 MB): driving growth and prosperity: advice from the independent expert panel on Victoria’s 2035 target
Victorian emissions budgets (PDF, 1.5 MB): independent analysis related to Victoria’s contribution to global efforts to minimise global temperature rise
Victoria’s Climate Science Report 2019 (PDF, 6.7 MB): understanding the current and potential future impacts of climate change on Victoria
Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions (PDF, 2.7 MB): understanding Victoria’s contribution to climate change
Determination of the interim greenhouse gas emissions reduction target—2035 (PDF, 308.8 KB): formal determination under the Climate Change Act 2017
Independent expert advice on targets
By law, the Minister for Climate Action must seek independent expert advice to inform the setting of Victoria’s climate action targets.
The expert advice must include:
- a recommended target
- indicative pathways to reach net zero emissions
- potential emissions reduction opportunities to achieve the target.
The experts must consider economic, environmental and social circ*mstances and impacts, and the latest climate science, national and global climate action, low-emissions technology and progress in reducing Victoria’s emissions.
2035 target independent advice
The Minister for Climate Action appointed an independent expert panel to provide advice on a target for 2035. The members were Martijn Wilder AM (Chair), Emma Herd and Tennant Reed. The Panel delivered its final advice on 1 March 2023.
The Panel recommended a 2035 target of 80% below 2005 levels.
The Panel’s recommended target for 2035 and indicative trajectory to net zero emissions
The Panel recommended that the Victorian Government focus on the following areas to achieve the 2035 target:
- a whole-of-economy climate action delivery plane
- electricity generation
- transition from gas
- built environment
- transport and forestry
- agriculture.
Read the Panel's advice
Victoria’s 2035 climate action target: driving growth and prosperity (PDF, 5.5 MB)
Supporting information
Public consultation: results from online public consultation on the 2035 target held between 13 April and 5 June 2022.
Terms of reference (PDF, 161.2 KB): the requirements of the Panel’s advice
The Panel also considered the evidence listed above.
Meet the panel
FAQs
As part of that vision, the President set groundbreaking goals: Reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 50-52% below 2005 levels in 2030. Reaching 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035. Achieving a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
What is the climate action goal 2030? ›
Goal 13 calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. It is intrinsically linked to all 16 of the other Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To address climate change, countries adopted the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius.
What are the main goals of climate action? ›
The SDGs are a bold commitment to finish what we started, and end poverty in all forms and dimensions by 2030. This involves targeting the most vulnerable, increasing basic resources and services, and supporting communities affected by conflict and climate-related disasters.
What is the goal 13 climate action? ›
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Every person, in every country in every continent will be impacted in some shape or form by climate change. There is a climate cataclysm looming, and we are underprepared for what this could mean.
Will 2024 be hotter than 2023? ›
Last year was Earth's warmest year on record, and the first three months of 2024 were even hotter than 2023, climate scientists reported this week. That continues a trend that began in June 2023: Each month has overtaken its predecessors as "the world's warmest."
How bad is global warming 2024? ›
According to NCEI's Global Annual Temperature Outlook, there is a 22% chance that 2024 will rank as the warmest year on record and a 99% chance that it will rank in the top five.
What is the climate action plan for 2050? ›
In 2021, the Government announced Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050, which outlined four major decarbonisation strategies, namely “net-zero electricity generation”, “energy saving and green buildings”, “green transport” and “waste reduction”, that would lead Hong Kong towards the goal of carbon neutrality before ...
Does China have a net zero target? ›
Preparedness and ability to reach Net Zero by 2050. China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases with a reliance on coal for energy, however, it is rapidly developing renewable generation. The government has set a 2060 Net Zero emissions target and launched a carbon emissions trading scheme.
What is the climate Plan 2025? ›
tHe cPH 2025 climate Plan describes How our ambitions for carbon neutrality sHould be used as leverage for a better quality of life, innovation, job creation and investment in green tecHnologies, and How tHe goal of carbon neutrality can be acHieved by 2025 tHrougH close cooPeration between Public autHorities, ...
What are the three pillars of climate action? ›
Modern international climate governance is organized around three pillars: mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation. Under each pillar are many issues and policies, illustrating the many ways climate change affects our lives.
A climate action plan is a detailed and strategic framework for measuring, planning, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and related climatic impacts.
What are the 5 key points of action for climate change? ›
The Climate Crisis: Addressing 5 Key Areas for Change
- The Climate Crisis: Addressing Five Key Areas for Change - Introduction. ...
- Part 1 - Forests. ...
- Part 2 - Emissions. ...
- Part 3 - Water. ...
- Part 4 - Food. ...
- Part 5 - People.
Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions - The Global Goals. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
What is climate action in simple words? ›
Climate action refers to efforts taken to combat climate change and its impacts. These efforts involve reducing greenhouse gas emissions (climate mitigation) and/or taking action to prepare for and adjust to both the current effects of climate change and the predicted impacts in the future (climate adaptation).
What is the climate change action agenda? ›
This plan aims to strengthen the country's path towards sustainable, climate-resilient development while achieving low carbon climate resilient development. It builds on the previous Action Plan spanning the period 2013-2017.
What is the US 2050 climate change target? ›
IN LIGHT OF THIS URGENCY, THE UNITED STATES HAS SET A GOAL OF NET-ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY NO LATER THAN 2050. observed warming of 1.0⁰C, but emissions of cooling aerosols have counteracted some of that warming. THIS U.S. NET-ZERO 2050 GOAL IS AMBITIOUS.
What are 1.5 climate targets? ›
For years, the fight against climate change has been symbolized by one number: 1.5. Ever since countries agreed in 2015 to an ambition of restricting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the number has become synonymous with staving off catastrophic climate change.
What is the climate 2050 targets? ›
Striving to become the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050 – an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This objective is at the heart of the European Green Deal , and is a legally binding target thanks to the European Climate Law .
What is the current state of the climate? ›
Greenhouse gas concentrations, global sea level and ocean heat content reached record highs in 2022, according to the 33rd annual State of the Climate report.
