10th July 2024
The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state's leading environmental advocacy organisation, has welcomed the establishment of the NSW Net Zero Commission and appointment of inaugural Commissioners.
The independent, expert commission has been established to provide expert advice on the steps we must take to achieve our legislated climate goals.
NSW has legislated targets to reduce emissions by at least 50% by 2030, 70% by 2035 and reach net zero emissions by 2050. Recent government modelling has shown the state is currently tracking to undershoot these targets: -44% by 2030 and -65% by 2035.
"We welcome the establishment of the Net Zero Commission and the independent expertise it will bring to climate policy in NSW," said Nature Conservation Council NSW chief executive officer Jacqui Mumford.
"This commission is an excellent framework to accelerate climate action and it is an opportunity to address some of the barriers to achieving our emissions reduction targets.
"A sure-fire way to help get the state back on track to achieving our emissions reduction targets is to phase out destructive native forest logging and tackle runaway habitat clearing."
Quotes attributable to NCC CEO Jacqui Mumford:
"NSW needs to urgently redouble emissions reduction efforts considering recent projections and the catastrophic impacts we continue to witness around the world.
"Phasing out native forest logging and reining in habitat clearing would make immediate and significant contributions to our emissions efforts.
"Land clearing is responsible for approximately 10% of Australia's emissions, whilst ending native forest logging in NSW would prevent an estimated 2.4 million tons of greenhouse emissions every year.
"Protecting and restoring forests and habitat is a crucial mitigation action if NSW is to meet our targets.
"We will be writing to the commission to encourage their consideration of these nature-based solutions.
"NCC also welcomes the recent parliamentary appointments to the Joint Standing Committee on Net Zero Future, which will have oversight of the Commission.
"We look forward to working with all members to accelerate climate action."
Statement ends
Sources for emissions data:
Land clearing - Quarterly Update of Australia's National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: June 2022, Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/nggi-quarterly-update-june-2022.pdf
Native Forestry - Sanger J, The Carbon Benefit from Protecting Australia's Public Native Forests, sourced at https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7031078401469800448/
