''CLIMATE CHANGE
IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA'' ISSUES PAPER
1543. Hon TIM CLIFFORD to the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the response given to
question on notice 2608, specifically the claim that a short-term period in
relation to rising greenhouse gas emissions is considered to be two to three
years.
(1) Given that
the ''Climate Change in Western Australia'' issues paper claims
that emissions will rise only in the short term, will the minister confirm that
WA's emissions will not rise beyond 2023?
(2) If emissions
will rise beyond 2023, does this government consider this to be a medium-term
period; and, if so, will the minister please outline what the government
considers to be a medium-term period and confirm that emissions will not
increase beyond the specified medium-term period?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) Greenhouse
gas emissions projections prepared by the commonwealth Department of the
Environment and Energy do not include separate projections for individual
states and territories. Western Australia's emissions are likely to increase in the short term as a result of
previously approved resource proposals in the state, which are in the process
of increasing production. Some of these emissions may be offset by removals
from land use, land use change and forestry. Opportunities to reduce Western Australia's
greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the state's aspiration of net
zero emissions by 2050 will be considered as part of the state climate policy.