NSW will move to legislate a deadline to reduce the state’s carbon emissions by a minimum of 50 per cent by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050.
The ambitious targeted are included in the Climate Change Bill, introduced to parliament on Thursday.
Under the legislation, an independent Net Zero Commission would also be created to ensure the government meets its deadline, while liaising with community groups and industry.
Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the commission was important for the accountability of not just the current Labor government, but future administrations as well.
“It will provide that advice independently to parliament and it will do that in a way that the government has to actually respond to those recommendations and be accountable for the decisions (they) make in the future,” she said.
“Legislating the targets gives certainty to business to industry, but it also makes the fundamental commitment to the people of NSW that we are determined to get there.”
The body will come under the newly established Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water department, and has been tasked with releasing an annual report to parliament.
While the legislation was criticised by the NSW Greens as being “unambitious,” and said reaching climate zero by 2035 or 2040 would be preferable.
Greens spokesperson for climate change Sue Higginson said the economic impact of climate change had the risk of decreasing property prices and reducing agricultural and labour productivity by $19bn by 2030.
“The Greens want this net zero bill to pass so we will work with the government to make sure that happens,” she said.
“We welcome that there will be an inquiry into the bill because on all accounts the targets associated with this bill are less than ambitious and the details of the guiding principles need to be examined.”
However, Ms Sharpe said expediting net zero targets would be unsustainable for communities.
“The road to net zero is not linear. There are really difficult issues here. There is manufacturing that is high intensity … we think about the work that our farmers and agriculture doing,” she said.
“These are hard sectors to get their emissions down.”
The legislated commitment was also welcomed by Rewiring Australia executive director Dan Cass, and said a Net Zero Commission would provide “independent expertise” and a “steady long term vision to critique government policies”.
“It’s crucial that it includes comprehensive plans for household electrification and that it is wholly independent,” he said.
“The energy market we have right now was designed for heavily polluting coal and gas.
“The Commission must drive a new framework that empowers households and businesses and industry to generate, store, and share clean electricity.”