The ASI has joined major business and farming groups in calling for a “certain, credible and consistent policy framework” for achieving net zero emissions.
In a submission presented to last week’s meeting of the Energy and Climate Ministerial Council, the ASI and 17 other groups headed by the Australian Industry Group said planning for Australia’s energy future “needs to be evidence-based, transparent and founded in wide consultation”.
“Australia’s existing national emissions and energy targets for 2030 are critical foundations for the investments we need to deliver reliable, affordable and clean energy,” the ASI and others said in the statement.
“Achieving them and the deeper targets that must follow on the road to net zero will take further and sustained effort.”
The ASI and the other 17 groups said governments, regulators and stakeholders must all commit to “a credible and consistent energy framework in order to attract finance at the lowest cost of capital and enable all our sectors to efficiently plan, resource and deliver just and timely transition to net zero emissions”.
With cost of living an ongoing concern for all Australians, a transition that minimises costs to consumers was vital. Benefits and mitigation of undesirable impacts should go to traditional owners and landholders.
The submission cited “robust evidence that Australia requires more renewable energy at all scales, a cost-efficient mix of firming resources, growing and well-coordinated consumer energy resources, more efficient buildings, and stronger smarter transmission and distribution networks to connect it all up”. The 18 groups called for “urgent heavy lifting this decade to upgrade and extend our electricity systems. Thermal power stations are retiring soon and power demand will grow with the electrification of more industries, cars and buildings”.
Ministers heard the message. In the communique announcing outcomes of their meeting, Ministers specifically quoted the statement, noting “the statement by 18 leading business, consumer and community groups that Australia’s existing national targets emissions and energy targets for 2030 are critical foundations for the investments we need to deliver reliable, affordable, and clean energy” and the group’s backing of the Australian Energy Market Operator integrated system plan as “the best roadmap we have for the national electricity market ”.
