Introduction

In 2017, the Tasmanian Government released Climate Action 21: Tasmania’s Climate Change Action Plan 2017-2021 (Climate Action 21) and the Climate Action 21 Implementation Plan. Climate Action 21 concluded in June 2021.

Climate Action 21 set the Tasmanian Government’s agenda for action on climate change, including reducing emissions, preparing for and responding to the impacts of a changing climate, and supporting the transition to a low carbon economy.

The Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Tasmanian Climate Change Office (TCCO) coordinated the implementation of Climate Action 21 and reported on progress.

TCCO has implemented Climate Action 21 in collaboration with all levels of government, business and industry, the scientific community, peak organisations and the broader Tasmanian community. This includes seeking the views of others to inform the scope and delivery of programs and projects.

Each year, TCCO reports on the implementation of Climate Action 21. This is the fourth and final report card, which shows progress made from July 2020 to June 2021.

Development of Tasmania’s next whole-of-government climate change action plan is underway.

Key Achievements

• Electric Vehicle Working Group
• Smarter Fleets Program: Supported Tasmanian Government local government and heavy vehicle fleets to improve fleet efficiency and prepare for electric vehicle uptake
• ChargeSmart Grants Program: Investment of over $600,000 to support a statewide electric vehicle destination and fast charging network
• Transitioning Government vehicle fleets to 100 per cent electric vehicles by 2030
• Community 'try and drive an EV' days
• Business Resource Efficiency Program: Supported 11 Tasmanian businesses to reduce waste
• Power$mart Businesses Program: Supported 28 businesses to undertake energy efficiency audits and reduce energy use
• 48 businesses completed continuity planning to prepare for and respond to extreme events
• Climate change research:
  • $750,000 in grant funding for 16 priority climate research projects
  • undertook priority research on compound extreme events
  • updated enterprise suitability mapping for key crops to support agricultural decision making
• Climate Resilient Councils: Supported 17 councils to understand and improve how climate change is considered by their council when making strategic and financial decisions
• Tasmanian Climate Symposium: Held three annual Symposiums in 2018, 2019 and 2020
• Held a Climate Change and Health Roundtable
• Coastal Hazards Management for Existing Settlements and Values Project
• 12 statewide workshops for financial counsellors to better assist vulnerable clients to manage their energy and power bills
• An additional 339 hectares of land now irrigated with effluent under Fert$mart
• Provided nearly $200,000 to partner with organisations on local climate change initiatives, including:
  • Curious Climate Tasmania
  • Food and Waste Solution Hub Event
  • Tasmanian Youth Climate Leaders Conferences
  • Climate Justice Cnference
  • Autonomous electric bus trial
• Energy efficiency audits of nine aged care facilities and a range of resources developed to support the aged care sector to prepare for, and respond to, extreme heat events.

Tasmania’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Each year, the Australian Government releases its annual State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories. The latest figures, for the 2019 reporting period, were released in April 2021.

Tasmania’s net emissions in 2019 were minus 1.68 megatonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂‑e), which is a decrease of 108.6 per cent from the 1990 baseline level.

Tasmania has achieved its policy target of net zero emissions by 2050 for the past five years.

Tasmania has the lowest net emissions, and the lowest emissions per person, of all other Australian states and territories.

Implementation Progress

Summary of progress against Climate Action 21 – 2021

Climate Action 21 has 37 actions across six priority areas. The purpose of this Report Card is to show progress against each of the actions contained in Climate Action 21. The status of each action is shown as: In progress, Nearing completion, Complete, Ongoing or Discontinued.

Since the launch of Climate Action 21, 19 actions have been completed. Two actions are in progress, 15 actions are ongoing and one action has been discontinued.

In progress

1.1, 6.1

Complete

1.2, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.7, 3.1, 3.3, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 5.2, 5.5, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5

Ongoing

1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.5, 2.6, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 4.9, 5.1 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7

Discontinued

6.2

Next: 1 Understanding Tasmania's Future Climate