Climate Bills - make a submission

Heather Smith • 21 November 2020
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Independent Zali Steggall has championed a set of Climate Change Bills which have now been referred to the committee for Environment and Energy. With only a week left for submissions we encourage you to make your voice heard. We’ve made one, highlighting the benefits of community energy. We also emphasised that a systematic approach to climate change, like the approach established by the Bills, is necessary. Please consider showcasing our sector and making sure the committee is aware of the level of support in the community for tackling climate change. (you can find our submission and a template attached to this article and also in the links)

Overview

The Climate Bills create a legal framework which will make Australia's approach to tackling climate change much more systematic. You can read the main Bill here. It creates an independent Climate Change Commisson, establishes a net zero emissions target for 2050 and provides guiding principles for decision makers - amongst other things. A good summary of the Bill can be found at Zali Steggal's website. The second Bill revokes the existing Climate Change Authority and makes amendments to a range of related Acts.

Making a submission

The hints on making a submission suggest that copy and paste submissions won't get much attention. Nevertheless, we’ve created a template here because this is a great opportunity for the Energy and Environment committe to hear from all of us who create the on-ground opportunities for our energy systems to change. The main comments they are listening to are about the bill itself so we suggest you answer the following questions when you make your submission:

What do you think of the Net Zero by 2050 target and the importance of having a long term target?

What can 5 year budgets do to drive change – particularly in the energy sector?

Will climate change risk and adaptation assessments affect your community and/or your community energy projects?

From your interaction with community members – how ready do you think they are to respond to technological change?

The following guiding principles all sound wise – what, in your own model of community energy governance, shows how your organisation applies these sorts of principles or any one in particular?

  • Principle of effective, efficient and equitable action
  • Principle of informed decision making
  • Principle of risk-based, integrated decision making
  • Principle of fiscal responsibility
  • Principle of fair employment transition
  • Principle of community engagement and self-determination
  • Principle of national and international cooperation
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