Net Zero Commission seeks best routes to wean industry off fossil fuels

The New South Wales Net Zero Commission has issued a call to the public for evidence to inform the development of a range of decarbonisation pathway scenarios that will demonstrate how different sectors across the state’s economy can quit fossil fuels and meet emissions targets.

The Commission, established under the same act that legally enshrined the state’s emissions reduction targets of 50 per cent by 2030 and 70 per cent by 2035, is working with the national science agency CSIRO and non-profit Climateworks Centre to develop three possible pathways t underpin future policy.

A ‘Balanced’ pathway will model a “middle-of-the-road scenario for technology uptake and behaviour change” that nevertheless represents a plausible route to net zero by 2050.

A second ‘Delayed’ pathway will explore what a net zero by 2050 transition looks like if barriers to technology uptake and behaviour change are higher and illustrate what staying on track to net zero by 2050 would require of sectors in the face of those challenges. 

A third, ‘Fast-tracked’ scenario will demonstrate what the Commission describes as an “optimistic” scenario, marked by fewer barriers to technology uptake and behaviour change.  

In its call for evidence, the Net Zero Commission is seeking input and guidance from a wide array of sources, including industry, businesses, research bodies, and local communities from across the state.

The Commission is particularly looking to hear from organisations across the energy sector about the practical opportunities and barriers to reducing emissions; infrastructure, investment, and workforce challenges; and real-world data and insights.

More widely, input is being sought into how to improve the effectiveness of NSW’s transition, the sectoral and workforce transition, and how to address socioeconomic priorities for a just transition.

The call for evidence was opened on 18 June and will run through to 31 July. More information about the call for evidence and on how to make submissions can be found through the Net Zero Commission’s website here. A series of non-exhaustive guided questions to inform potential submissions can be found here.

A virtual information session is also set to be held on 29 June including a live Q&A session. You can register for the information session here.

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