After a marathon grassroots campaign of almost four years, the Andrews Labor government has finally announced the state's first Climate Strategy and interim Emissions Reduction Targets. 

Here’s a quick update on our efforts over the last month, our response to the big announcement, and upcoming actions...


VICTORIA'S CLIMATE TARGETS ANNOUNCED: 

The Andrews government has announced Victoria’s climate strategy including Emissions Reduction Targets of 28-33 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 and 45-50 percent by 2030.

Friends of the Earth and allies campaigned to secure science-based climate targets for Victoria since 2017. 

We were pushing for a world-leading cut of 75 percent by 2030—a target that scientists say is necessary to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C—and ended up with a commitment to halve Victoria's emissions over the next decade.

We understand that there are differing views on what level of ambition is acceptable given the dire state of the climate crisis. We will hold an online forum on Thursday 13 May to unpack the announcement. 

Read our initial response and my analysis of why the targets represent a breakthrough for climate policy and politics.

The Andrews government has announced its long-awaited and highly-anticipated interim Emissions Reduction Targets. It committed to reduce emissions by 28-33 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 and 45-50 percent by 2030.

Friends of the Earth and allies campaigned to secure science-based climate targets for Victoria since 2017.

We were pushing for a world-leading cut of 75 percent by 2030—a target that scientists say is necessary to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C—and ended up with a commitment to halve Victoria's emissions over the next decade.

While the 2030 target adopted by the Andrews government was not what we were calling for, it is a significant outcome for national climate policy and politics. Here’s why.

BIG NEWS: The Andrews government has announced that Victoria will reduce its emissions by 45-50 percent by 2030.

Friends of the Earth and allies such as Environment Victoria campaigned to secure science-based climate targets for Victoria since 2017. The decision was delayed multiple times so the campaign ended up being a marathon of almost four years.

Friends of the Earth say that communities are looking to the Victorian government to show greater leadership on climate after Prime Minister Scott Morrison failed to hit the reset button at President Joe Biden's World Leaders Climate Summit.

The high-powered summit—which saw the United States announce an increased target to reduce emissions by 50-52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030—was seen as an opportunity for the Morrison government to make a course correction on climate and energy policy. 

"Prime Minister Scott Morrison had a chance to leave behind the Coalition's ideological opposition to tackling the climate crisis, but he failed to show leadership when it mattered," said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth climate spokesperson. 

"The increased ambition we're seeing from the United States and other counties shows that momentum is building to take the climate crisis seriously."

"While a heavier lift is needed to align current Emissions Reduction Targets with climate science, these announcements are a welcome step forward and give communities hope." 

As you know, Friends of the Earth and the Act on Climate collective have been campaigning for Victoria to set science-based Climate Targets since 2017.

The state government was required to set the targets for 2025 and '30 in March 2020... It's now April 2021 and we're still waiting for an announcement. It's time to raise the heat on the issue to break the stalemate. 

Here’s a quick update on our efforts over the last month and upcoming actions to secure them...


TAKE ACTION: WHERE ARE VICTORIA'S CLIMATE TARGETS?

The United States will announce its 2030 Emissions Reduction Target at President Joe Biden's World Leaders Climate Summit on Thursday 22 April... When will the Andrews Labor government announce Victoria's targets?

We need your help to break the stalemate and secure the announcement. Ambitious targets will continue the rollout of renewable energy, drive greater investment in Public Transport, require greater protection of native forests, and more. 

We've pulled together an online action that allows you to email your local member of Parliament to ask a simple question: Where are Victoria's climate targets? We believe that mass participation in this action will shake things up. 

CLICK HERE to email your local MP today.

Today, EnergyAustralia, the owner of the coal-burning Yallourn power plant in Victoria, announced that the facility will close in mid 2028.

Friends of the Earth say the proposed 2028 closure date for Australia's most polluting power plant is "too little too late" on climate:  

"The best available science tells us that countries such Australia must reach zero emissions as soon as possible," said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth’s campaigns coordinator.

"In the context of the climate emergency, EnergyAustralia's proposed 2028 closure date is too little too late."

With time running out to influence the state government's decision on Victoria's climate targets, we've hit the ground running in 2021. And we'll keep up the fight until they're announced. 

Here’s a quick update on our efforts over the last month and upcoming actions...


NEW REPORT SHOWS SCIENCE-BASED CLIMATE TARGETS = JOBS:

In mid-February, we secured prominent coverage in The Age to premiere University of Melbourne modelling on Victoria's climate targets.

The story revealed that the Victorian Labor government has beaten its Emissions Reduction Target of 20 percent (below 2005 levels) by 2020 with greenhouse gases falling to their lowest level in over 30 years.

The University of Melbourne's modelling, commissioned by Friends of the Earth, shows an emissions cut of 75 percent by 2030 is achievable and would create over 50,000 jobs. (You can find the report, here).

Friends of the Earth stress the need for the government to take a science-based approach to tackling the climate emergency, commit to a 1.5°C carbon budget, and link ambitious targets to the state's economic future. 

CLICK HERE to read The Age article. 

We're back for 2021. And after so much time indoors last year, we're returning to the campaign trail with renewed energy.

This year is shaping up as a turning point for global efforts to tackle the climate crisis. The United States is back in the game and countries will be lifting their ambition at the COP26 meeting in Glasgow.
 
Here in Victoria, the Andrews government is starting the year with unfinished business on climate. It is yet to set or announce the long-awaited Emissions Reduction Targets for 2025 and '30—a decision that will determine the pace of Victoria's transition to a clean economy and ability to attract new industries and secure jobs.

It's fair to say we're fired up to secure Victoria's climate targets, so here’s a quick update on our efforts over the last month and upcoming actions...