Queensland government to legislate 75% emissions reduction target

While only two months into the job, Queensland state premier Steven Miles appears to be embracing an emissions reduction and renewable energy agenda. His government’s latest move has been to legislate the government’s emissions reduction target.

Energy and Clean Economy Jobs minister Mick de Brenni announced the introduction of the legislation to parliament via LinkedIn today. In the announcement he said that the Clean Economy Jobs Bill 2024 would legislate an emissions reduction target of 75% by 2035.

The energy minister continued that the legislation would create 100,000 new “clean energy economy” jobs, while “protecting existing jobs by keeping Queensland competitive and safeguarding our natural environment.”

The Clean Energy Council has welcomed the move saying that “the Sunshine State can live up to its name.” It said that the legislation would accelerate renewable energy rollout while cutting pollution.

“Queenslanders will benefit from the bright, clean energy future that this law enables with rapidly growing industries that are creating regional jobs for generations to come,” said the Climate Council’s head of advocacy Jennifer Rayner. She said that codifying the emissions reduction target in law will provide investor confidence, particularly in regional areas.

It was not all bouquets, however. The Clean Energy Council noted that the Queensland state government had continued to approve coal mines – in a trend that is common to Labor-lead governments around Australia.

“Approving new, highly-polluting projects like the Winchester South coal mine undermines the state’s positive momentum, and will pile more climate risks and costs onto communities who are still reeling from flooding rains, deadly bushfires and destructive storms,” said Rayner.

The framing of climate legislation as an economic measure, creating jobs, is shaping as a powerful political strategy. The Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, is a massive piece of emissions-reduction law that has proven resilient to attracts due to its job creation benefits.

“The Miles Government’s commitment to protecting and creating well-paid clean economy jobs as well as tackling climate change,” said energy minister de Brenni in his statement today.