Australia's HVACR industry can finally look forward to some firm policy direction from the federal government with a number of announcements planned in coming weeks.
An interim report outlining options for industry will be released in September as part of the federal government's review of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act.
It is the first review to be undertaken in more than a decade and CCN understands it will include measures to reduce emissions including a phasedown of HFC refrigerants.
The phasedown will be a key plank of the government's activities to set a new climate target in preparation for global negotiations in Paris at the end of the year.
In the meantime the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, will announce Australia's post 2020 target for greenhouse gas emissions in early August.
Abbott announced the formation of a special taskforce to set a post-2020 emissions reduction target earlier this year.
He said the taskforce will review Australia's international emissions reduction targets and settings taking into account action taken by major trading partners
The Climate Council has released a new report entitled Halfway to Paris which calls for an emissions reduction target of 40-60 per cent by 2030.
"The world is stepping up action on climate change, with Australia’s major allies and trading partners setting strong emission reduction targets. For example, the United States aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28 per cent below its 2005 level in 2025 setting a path towards deep, economy-wide emission reductions of 80 per cent or more by 2050," the report said.
"The European Union has a reduction target of 40 per cent by 2030 relative to 1990 levels.
"By 2030, China aims to lower carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 60 to 65 per cent from the 2005 level, and the world’s largest emitter aims to peak its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, possibly earlier."
The report points out that Australia is one of the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the world, per capita, ahead of 182 other countries.
"Australia must cut its greenhouse gas emissions much more deeply and rapidly to contribute its fair share in meeting the climate change challenge," according to the Climate Council report.
"A 2030 target of a 40-60 per cent reduction below 2000 levels is the bare minimum for Australia to be both in line with the science and the rest of the world."