Queensland leaders to scope Biden summit

The Palaszczuk Government will task leaders in industry, innovation and the environment to explore new opportunities out of US President Joe Biden’s upcoming climate summit.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said she would request her climate advisory council to look at the outcomes of the summit of 40 global leaders.

“Queensland has become a leader when it comes to supporting zero emissions technology, the jobs of the future and protecting the environment,” Ms Scanlon said.

“It’s this government that set a target of net-zero emissions by 2050 and a 50 per cent renewables target by 2030.

“It’s under this government that places like Gladstone and Townsville are becoming hubs of hydrogen.

“We’ve built the world’s longest collection of electric vehicle chargers and we’ve committed to new buses on our network being zero emission buses from 2025.

“We established the $500 million Land Restoration Fund with 18 projects already underway, and Queensland now boasts 44 large-scale renewable energy projects.

“Of course, that’s on top of Queenslanders themselves taking action and leading the way with 717,000 rooftop solar installations.

“I’m pleased to announce that as part of our push to drive net zero emissions – I will be tasking our climate advisory council to look at the outcomes and build on our climate action plan.

“That’s leaders of Queensland industry, innovation and environment looking at how we can maximise the global shift to zero emissions.

Ms Scanlon said if Queensland was to continue to build on our achievements, we can’t expect to wait for the Federal Government to take action.

“While we’ve seen some steps taken by Canberra, we’ve not yet seen the leadership the world has been crying out for.

“They’re yet to set a net zero emissions target and the Biden administration has criticised their climate change policies as ‘insufficient’.

“Well we won’t wait and be left in the dust.

“Queensland is in a strong position today when it comes to the environment and jobs because we took the lead.

“And we’ll continue work to put Queensland in the fast lane to create the jobs of future industries and protect our environment.”

Members of the Queensland Climate Advisory Council:

• Amanda McKenzie CEO, Climate Council
• Don Henry Melbourne Enterprise Professor of Environmentalism, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne
• Dermot O’Gorman CEO, WWF Australia
• Lauren Kirkwood Special Counsel, Baker & McKenzie’s Environmental Markets
• Ian Lowe Emeritus Professor, School of Science, Griffith University
• Emma Herd CEO- Investor Group on Climate Change
• Sandra McCullagh Director, About Energy Pty Ltd, Trustee of QSuper
• Damien Frawley CEO, QIC
• Stephen Tait CEO, CCIQ
• Peter Castellas CEO, Tasman Environmental Markets
• Mark Baker-Jones Special Counsel Climate Change, Simpson Grierson
• Professor Hugh Possingham , Queensland Chief Scientist

ENDS

Media contact: Francis Dela Cruz – 0420 592 078