Hon Tim Clifford questions the Minister for Environment on the McGowan government's progress in developing a climate change policy. The Minister outlines actions taken and declines to commit to a timeline.

AnsweredQoN 921Legislative Council
Asked
10 October 2018
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

CLIMATE CHANGE — POLICY
921. Hon TIM CLIFFORD to the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the minister's response to question
without notice 903 and the alarming report published recently by the United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
(1) Can the
minister explain why, in the 18 months that the McGowan government has been in
power, the only action taken towards developing a climate change policy has
been to prepare to develop a process to support development of the policy?
(2) Will the
minister commit to a time line for the development of a climate change policy,
and will the minister please outline this time frame?
(3) In
relation to the portfolio consultation undertaken, which organisations and
individuals have been consulted?
(4) Is the
reintroduction of industry caps on emissions included within the scope of the
policy document?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) Since
coming to power in March 2017, the McGowan government has re-established and
resourced the climate change unit in the Department of Water and Environmental
Regulation. The unit has already undertaken a stocktake of climate change
actions across government, which considered climate change adaptation and
mitigation policies, projects and programs. The unit has also commenced
consultation with key agencies on climate-related initiatives and is examining
cost-effective options to promote and accelerate the transition to electric
vehicles. The climate change unit is also working across government on
carbon-related initiatives. Additionally, I have asked the Environmental
Protection Authority to provide some advice on the ministerial conditions
applied to some of the state's major emitters.
(2) No.
(3) There were 39
state government agencies and government trading enterprises consulted as part
of the stocktake. My office continues to consult broadly across government to
advance a process to support the development of a future policy.
(4) The McGowan
government considers that national approaches to mitigation are generally more
economically efficient.

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