Tasmania's climate change legislation

The Climate Change (State Action) Amendment Bill 2021 (the Bill) was developed in response to the findings of:

• the most recent independent review of the Act (PDF 12MB)
• the Tasmanian Emissions Pathway Review (PDF 3MB)
• the Economic Impact Analysis project (PDF 1MB)
• extensive consultation with business, industry and the community.

The Bill was tabled in Parliament in November 2021 and passed both Houses of Parliament in November 2022.

A draft Bill was released for consultation from 13 October 2021 to 14 November 2021. Sixty-four submissions on the draft Bill were received; 39 from individuals and 25 from organisations. The submissions are published on our consultation page.

The recommendations in the submissions varied from minor administrative issues with the draft Bill, to more significant policy issues, such as legislating sectoral targets; legislating exclusion of sectoral targets; establishing an independent advisory council; and legislating consideration of climate change in government decision making.

Submissions were generally supportive of the proposed new emissions reduction target. Some submissions recommended the Government set a more ambitious target.

In response to consultation feedback on the draft Bill, the Bill was amended to:

• include explicit references to children and young people and local government in the objects of the Act
• ensure the development of a climate change action plan is informed by the most recent statewide climate change risk assessment and emissions reduction and resilience plans
• require that a climate change action plan is published in formats that are accessible to a wide range of audiences, including children and young people
• require the portfolio Minister to consider the impact of climate change on future generations when developing a statewide climate change risk assessment
• include a number of measures to increase the transparency and accountability of the Tasmanian Government’s climate response
• make a number of minor adjustments to the definitions in the Bill, including adding a formal definition of climate change.

The most recent independent review was delivered by consulting firm Jacobs, in June 2021, in consultation with the Tasmanian community.

• Download a copy of the Independent Review of the Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008 - 2021 (PDF 12MB)

Setting Tasmania's emissions reduction target

The Act previously set an emissions reduction target to reduce emissions to at least 60 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. A key focus of the review was to consult with industry, business and the community on options to revise Tasmania’s emissions reduction target. Two supporting projects were delivered: an update to Tasmania’s Emissions Pathway Review and a detailed economic analysis of the impacts on industry and employment in relation to a more ambitious net zero emissions target.

• Download the Tasmanian Emissions Pathway Review (PDF 3.2MB)
• Download the summary of the Tasmanian Emissions Pathway Review (PDF 1MB)
• Download the Economic Impact Analysis report (PDF 1MB)

Recommendations of the review

The independent review made the following seven recommendations to amend the Act:

1. Net zero emissions from 2030
2. Consolidate the objects of the Act
3. A set of principles to guide climate action
4. Relevant Tasmanian Government plans, policies and strategies are guided by climate change
5. Make a Climate Action Plan a legislative requirement
6. Statewide climate change risk assessment
7. Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plans for key sectors

Consultation on the review

As required by the Act, the independent review was carried out in consultation with relevant business, scientific, environment and community bodies, through a series of one-on-one meetings, sector specific workshops and public online workshops, followed by a public call for written submissions in response to a Discussion Paper.

Written submissions

Jacobs prepared a Discussion Paper to guide preparation of written submissions. To provide additional information for consultation regarding Tasmania's emissions reduction target, consultancy firms Point Advisory and Indufor developed a Net Zero Emissions Background Paper.

• Download the Discussion Paper (PDF 2.5MB)
• Download the Net Zero Emissions Pathway Options for Tasmania - Background Paper (PDF 1MB)

Jacobs received 54 written submissions to the independent review of the Act. Six submissions were submitted confidentially and will not be published. You can read the public submissions on the consultation page.

The Tasmanian Government prepared a response to the final report of the review. The response supports all recommendations of the review, either in full or in-principle.

• Download the Tasmanian Government response to the independent review of the Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008 (PDF 6MB)

Terms of Reference were prepared to establish the scope of the independent review. As outlined in the Terms of Reference, a key focus of the review will be to consult with the community on setting a new and ambitious net zero greenhouse gas emissions target for Tasmania.

• Download the Terms of Reference for the independent review of the Act (PDF)
• Read the Terms of Reference for the independent review of the Act (webpage).