Climate change in South Australia affects various environments and industries, including agriculture.
The state's emissions amounted to 76.23 million tonnes in 2005 compared to 82.64 million tonnes in 2022. [1]
Soaring temperatures led to catastrophic forest fires during the 2019–20 bushfire season. [2]
South Australia's deployment of renewables during 2011 and 2020 is considered "significant". [3] South Australia's tree-planting laws are considered to be the weakest in Australia. [4] The Whyalla were put into administration and it is planned that the South Australian government will fund its conversion to renewable energy. [5] [6]
Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Act 2007 | |
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Parliament of South Australia | |
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Citation | No 22 of 2007 |
Assented to | 2007-06-28 |
Commenced | 2007-07-02 |
Legislative history | |
Bill title | Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Bill 2006 |
Bill citation | No 83 of 2006 |
Keywords | |
emissions targets | |
Status: In force |
The Act was the first climate legislation in Australia. [7] This made South Australia the first state in Australia to commit to greenhouse gas emissions cuts, [8] one of the first commonwealth jurisdictions with climate laws [9] and the first jurisdiction in the world with a binding 2050 target. [10] The Act facilitates the early development of policies and programmes to support renewables and promotes the uptake of renewables by wholesale purchasers. [11]
The Act legislates that the state has a legal obligation to ensure that emissions are reduced by 60% to an amount that is equal to or less than 40% of 1990 emissions levels. [12]
In 2024, an amendment bill was tabled in the South Australian Parliament to further strengthen the targets - net zero emissions by 2027. [13]
Under the legislation the government of South Australia also made a commitment to make Adelaide "the world's first carbon neutral city" by 2020. [14]
By 2018 local generation of wind and solar electricity had reached 52% and emissions had fallen 32% compared to 2005 levels. [10] Local generation of electricity is expected to reach 100% by 2025. [10]