Australia should wipe out climate footprint by 2035 instead of 2050, scientists urge

Australian engineers and technology scientists have urged the Albanese government to “make up for lost time” and set itself a “monumental challenge” by setting a target to wipe out the country’s climate footprint by 2035 – 15 years earlier than currently proposed.

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, representing nearly 900 leading engineers and scientists, called on the government to set a goal of reaching net zero emissions in just 12 years, arguing it could be achieved with existing mature, low-carbon technology.

Its statement said immediate and substantial action was needed to keep alive the chance of limiting global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

The academy said setting a more ambitious target – the current goal is to reach net zero by 2050 – would drive technological change and spur a massive boost in clean investment across the country.

The academy’s president, Dr Katherine Woodthorpe, said there was an economic opportunity that Australia was not doing enough to grasp.

“That’s really how I see this. There is an opportunity, let’s make the most of it, let’s not squander it,” she said. “Meeting this target will be a monumental challenge, but with immediate and large-scale action to invest in skills and infrastructure, as well as political, policy and regulatory support at all levels, it is achievable.”

The Climate Council made a similar call this week, arguing Australia playing its part in limiting heating to 1.5C demanded a 75% cut by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, up from the current minimum 43% reduction target, and reaching net zero by 2035.

The academy statement said Australia’s existing targets aligned with other countries, but as a wealthy developed nation with a large carbon footprint it should be doing more.

It called on federal and state governments to prioritise removing waste and emissions from production, supporting electrification of transport networks including sea and air freight and travel and reducing human impact on biodiversity.

Woodthorpe said the warning from climate scientists was “unequivocal” and climate-induced catastrophes “irrefutable”.

“We congratulate the federal government on the significant progress to date. However, we are making up for lost time,” Woodthorpe said. “Setting an ambitious target based on science… is a no regrets step toward a net zero future.”

A spokesperson for the climate change minister, Chris Bowen, this week said the government was delivering “strong and urgent action on climate change and the massive economic reforms to get there”, including legislating targets and reforms to the safeguard mechanism that required action from large coal and gas facilities and heavy industry. “Our plans are ambitious but, importantly, they are also achievable,” the spokesperson said.

The government is due to set a new emissions reduction target for 2035 by 2025.

Woodthorpe said the push for nuclear power backed by the Coalition and parts of the media was “not practical, not economic” given the technology did not commercially exist.