❓ Opposition asks about WA's commitment to the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C warming limit, state attendance at COP21, and plans to reduce CO2e emissions. Government asserts national responsibility for emissions targets, highlights existing climate adaptation strategy and investments in renewable energy, and disputes the claim of doubled emissions.
AnsweredQoN 3808Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I
refer to the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial
levels articulated in Article 2, 1(a) of the Conference of Parties (COP) 21: United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference Paris Agreement, which enhances the UN Climate Summit Copenhagen
Convention, and I ask: (a) did the State Government have anyone in attendance at the COP 21: UN Climate Change Conference; (b) if no to (a), why not; (c) if yes to (a), whom and in what capacity; (d) what role does the State Government intend to take in limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels; (e) what are the commitments or objectives of the State Government in limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels; (f) if none to (d) or (e), why not; (g) if the Government believes that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is a federal responsibility why; (h) if the Government does believe that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is a federal responsibility, what actions or protocols have been established with the Federal Government to reduce our Western Australian carbon dioxide equivalency (CO2e) emissions; (i) if none to (h), why not; (j) given that Western Australia has doubled its CO2e emissions since the Kyoto Protocol international agreement on 11 December 1997, what action does the State Government intend to take to wind back its CO2e emissions; (k) in relation to (j), please outline the action and goals the State Government intends to take; and (l) in relation to (j), if the State Government does not intend to take action to wind back its CO2e emissions, why not?
refer to the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial
levels articulated in Article 2, 1(a) of the Conference of Parties (COP) 21: United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference Paris Agreement, which enhances the UN Climate Summit Copenhagen
Convention, and I ask: (a) did the State Government have anyone in attendance at the COP 21: UN Climate Change Conference; (b) if no to (a), why not; (c) if yes to (a), whom and in what capacity; (d) what role does the State Government intend to take in limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels; (e) what are the commitments or objectives of the State Government in limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels; (f) if none to (d) or (e), why not; (g) if the Government believes that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is a federal responsibility why; (h) if the Government does believe that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is a federal responsibility, what actions or protocols have been established with the Federal Government to reduce our Western Australian carbon dioxide equivalency (CO2e) emissions; (i) if none to (h), why not; (j) given that Western Australia has doubled its CO2e emissions since the Kyoto Protocol international agreement on 11 December 1997, what action does the State Government intend to take to wind back its CO2e emissions; (k) in relation to (j), please outline the action and goals the State Government intends to take; and (l) in relation to (j), if the State Government does not intend to take action to wind back its CO2e emissions, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 March 2016
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
28 days
The Minister for Environment has provided the following response.
(a) No.
(b) The setting of national greenhouse gas emissions targets and negotiation of international climate change agreements is a matter for the Australian Government.
(c) Not applicable.
(d)-(i) The Western Australian Government’s view is that decisions on the design, implementation and timing of the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, including the setting of emission reduction targets, are primarily matters for the Australian Government and Federal Parliament. This will allow measures to be designed in the most economically efficient manner.
The State Government sees a role for complementary action which assists the national mitigation effort. The Government’s strategy for addressing climate change, Adapting to our changing climate , was released in October 2012. This strategy focusses on climate change responses appropriate for Western Australia.
The State Government has invested $20 million in Australia’s first utility-scale solar farm, the 10 MW Greenough River Solar Farm. The Government is also supporting innovative low-emissions energy technologies in Western Australia at the pre-commercialisation stage. Almost $17 million has been invested in nine different low emissions energy projects through the State Government’s Low Emissions Energy Development Fund.
(j)-(l) Western Australia has not doubled its CO 2- e emissions since 1997. The most recent National Greenhouse Accounts published by the Australian Government indicate that Western Australia’s emissions have increased by 34% between 1997 and 2013 while the population has increased by 40% over the same period. The State Government’s action to address climate change is outlined in (d)-(i).
(a) No.
(b) The setting of national greenhouse gas emissions targets and negotiation of international climate change agreements is a matter for the Australian Government.
(c) Not applicable.
(d)-(i) The Western Australian Government’s view is that decisions on the design, implementation and timing of the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, including the setting of emission reduction targets, are primarily matters for the Australian Government and Federal Parliament. This will allow measures to be designed in the most economically efficient manner.
The State Government sees a role for complementary action which assists the national mitigation effort. The Government’s strategy for addressing climate change, Adapting to our changing climate , was released in October 2012. This strategy focusses on climate change responses appropriate for Western Australia.
The State Government has invested $20 million in Australia’s first utility-scale solar farm, the 10 MW Greenough River Solar Farm. The Government is also supporting innovative low-emissions energy technologies in Western Australia at the pre-commercialisation stage. Almost $17 million has been invested in nine different low emissions energy projects through the State Government’s Low Emissions Energy Development Fund.
(j)-(l) Western Australia has not doubled its CO 2- e emissions since 1997. The most recent National Greenhouse Accounts published by the Australian Government indicate that Western Australia’s emissions have increased by 34% between 1997 and 2013 while the population has increased by 40% over the same period. The State Government’s action to address climate change is outlined in (d)-(i).
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