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Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania

Fact sheet - Tasmania's transport sector

Download the Action Plan Fact sheet - Tasmania's transport sector (PDF)

Tasmania’s Climate Change Action Plan 2023-25

Tasmania’s Climate Change Action Plan 2023-25 outlines the Tasmanian Government’s plan for action on climate change for the next two years. It will support Tasmania’s transition to a low emissions economy, to help us reach our target to maintain net zero greenhouse gas emissions, or lower, from 2030.

Action plan priority areas

  1. Information and Knowledge

    We will ensure our businesses, industries, governments and communities can make informed decisions by providing up-to-date, high quality and user‑friendly information about Tasmania’s emissions, our future climate, and emissions reduction, sequestration and adaptation opportunities.

  2. Transition and Innovation

    We will reduce our emissions and increase our carbon sequestration by making the most of opportunities using existing and emerging technologies, and support business, industry and the community through the transition to a low emissions economy.

  3. Adaptation and Resilience

We will manage the risks and take advantage of the potential opportunities from climate change, support planning and decision making, and build the resilience of our communities, environments, industries and infrastructure.

Developing the plan

To develop the action plan, we consulted state and local government, business, industry, non‑government organisations and the community. We used the best available science and were informed by the outcomes of the most recent independent review of the Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008 and the Tasmanian Emissions Pathway Review. The action plan aligns with other Tasmanian Government policies and considers developments in other Australian jurisdictions, including the Australian Government’s climate change initiatives.

Supporting Tasmania’s transport sector in the transition to a low emissions economy

The transport sector is critical to Tasmania’s economy and community, to ensure the movement of goods and workers, and safe and efficient travel within the community.

Greenhouse gas emissions

The latest greenhouse gas emissions data show that the transport sector accounts for around 21 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions (excluding the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector).

The Tasmanian Government has committed to support more electric vehicles in the transport sector to help reduce emissions. The electrification of the passenger and heavy transport fleets were opportunities identified in the 2021 Tasmanian Emissions Pathway Review.

Tasmanian Emissions from transport – 1990 to 2021This figure includes an area chart showing the change in Tasmania’s emissions from transport, which increased from a minimum of 1.53 Mt CO2-e in 1990 to a maximum of 1.93 Mt CO2-e in 2008 and a smaller peaks of 1.92 Mt CO2-e in 2011, before decreasing to 1.75 Mt CO2-e in 2020. The figure also includes a pie chart showing transport was responsible for 21.0 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions, excluding LULUCF, in 2021.

More information about Tasmania’s emissions is available in the greenhouse gas report, published annually by the Climate Change Office and available on the ReCFIT website: www.recfit.tas.gov.au/tasmanias_greenhouse_gas_emissions

Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plans

We are working with business and industry to develop an Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plan for the transport sector by November 2023, That plan will ensure that we take a practical and balanced approach to reduce emissions from the sector and build its resilience to the impacts of a changing climate.

Taking practical action over the next two years

We recognise the need to take action on climate change while the sector-based Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plans are being developed.

The action plan will provide financial incentives for Tasmanians to support the uptake of electric vehicles, e‑bikes and e-scooters.

The government is also committed to:

  • supporting people to use public and active transport, for example by upgrading infrastructure and facilities
  • working with Metro Tasmania to trial zero emissions buses in both the north and south of the state
  • continuing to transition the government vehicle fleet to 100 per cent electric vehicles by 2030
  • exploring how to make sure the Tasmanian Planning Scheme includes consideration of electric vehicle charging infrastructure
  • developing a coordinated approach to support the uptake of electric vehicles in Tasmania through the Electric Vehicle Working Group.

It is also important to consider the resilience of Tasmania’s transport system under a changing climate. For example, we need to understand the impact of increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events on our transport systems.

The action plan includes an action to release a new five-year Disaster Resilience Strategy for 2026-2030 to improve Tasmania’s resilience to disasters. The government is committed to ensuring the planning and delivery of infrastructure includes sustainability and resilience best practice principles, and to identifying opportunities that improve resilience when developing corridor strategies for state roads.

The government will also work with local government to support councils to respond to climate change and reduce emissions.