Climate change in South Australia

The state's emissions amounted to 76.23 million tonnes in 2005 compared to 82.64 million tonnes in 2022.{{Cite news |last=Shine |first=Rhiannon |date=2024-04-24 |title=WA's greenhouse gas emissions continue to climb above 2005 levels despite net zero pledge |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-24/western-australia-greenhouse-gas-emissions-still-rising/103758454 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502232029/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-24/western-australia-greenhouse-gas-emissions-still-rising/103758454 |archive-date=2024-05-02 |access-date=2025-03-05 |work=ABC}}

Soaring temperatures led to catastrophic forest fires during the 2019–20 bushfire season.{{Cite news |date=2019-11-20 |title=Australia fires: 'Catastrophic' alerts in South Australia and Victoria |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-50483410 |access-date=2025-03-06 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

South Australia's deployment of renewables during 2011 and 2020 is considered "significant".{{Cite journal |last=Nelson |first=Tim |last2=Nolan |first2=Tahlia |last3=Gilmore |first3=Joel |date=2022 |title=What's next for the Renewable Energy Target – resolving Australia's integration of energy and climate change policy? |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8489.12457 |journal=Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics |language=en |volume=66 |issue=1 |pages=136–163 |doi=10.1111/1467-8489.12457 |issn=1467-8489|hdl=10072/410194 |hdl-access=free }} South Australia's tree-planting laws are considered to be the weakest in Australia.{{Cite web |last=Delaporte |first=Kate |last2=Marker |first2=Kiri |last3=Caddy-Retalic |first3=Stefan |date=2024-04-10 |title=Adelaide is losing 75,000 trees a year. Tree-removal laws must be tightened if we want our cities to be liveable and green |url=https://theconversation.com/adelaide-is-losing-75-000-trees-a-year-tree-removal-laws-must-be-tightened-if-we-want-our-cities-to-be-liveable-and-green-216990 |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}} The Whyalla were put into administration and it is planned that the South Australian government will fund its conversion to renewable energy.{{Cite news |last=Barrett |first=Jonathan |last2= |first2= |date=2025-03-03 |title=The 'scary' state of Whyalla steelworks' bank balance revealed by administrators |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/04/whyalla-steelworks-administration-bank-balance-gfg-ntwnfb |access-date=2025-03-10 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |last=Fildes |first=Nic |date=2025-02-20 |title=Australia to pump $1.5bn into Gupta steelworks after taking control |url=https://www.ft.com/content/4cfcfd1c-f789-43d8-95e7-180d86cc6975 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250220041530/https://www.ft.com/content/4cfcfd1c-f789-43d8-95e7-180d86cc6975 |archive-date=2025-02-20 |access-date=2025-03-10 |work=Financial Times}}

{{Infobox legislation

| short_title = Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Act 2007

| legislature = Parliament of South Australia

| long_title = An Act to provide for measures to address climate change with a view to assisting to achieve a sustainable future for the State; to set targets to achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions within the State; to promote the use of renewable sources of energy; to promote business and community understanding about issues surrounding climate change; to facilitate the early development of policies and programs to address climate change; and for other purposes

| citation = No 22 of 2007

| date_assented = 2007-06-28

| date_commenced = 2007-07-02

| bill_history_url = https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/bills/climate-change-bill-2016

| bill = Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Bill 2006

| bill_citation = No 83 of 2006

| introduced_by =

| date_introduced =

| keywords = emissions targets

| status = in force

}}

The Act was the first climate legislation in Australia.{{Cite journal |last=Christoff |first=Peter |last2=Eckersley |first2=Robyn |date=2021-10-21 |title=Convergent evolution: framework climate legislation in Australia |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14693062.2021.1979927 |journal=Climate Policy |language=en |volume=21 |issue=9 |pages=1190–1204 |doi=10.1080/14693062.2021.1979927 |issn=1469-3062|doi-access=free }} This made South Australia the first state in Australia to commit to greenhouse gas emissions cuts,{{Cite web |last=Darby |first=Megan |date=2015-07-02 |title=Why South Australia is eyeing a renewable future |url=https://www.climatechangenews.com/2015/07/02/why-south-australia-is-eyeing-a-renewable-future/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Climate Home News |language=en-GB}} one of the first commonwealth jurisdictions with climate laws{{Cite journal |last=Scotford |first=Eloise |last2=Minas |first2=Stephen |last3=Macintosh |first3=Andrew |date=2017-10-02 |title=Climate change and national laws across Commonwealth countries |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03050718.2017.1439361 |journal=Commonwealth Law Bulletin |language=en |volume=43 |issue=3-4 |pages=318–361 |doi=10.1080/03050718.2017.1439361 |issn=0305-0718}} and the first jurisdiction in the world with a binding 2050 target.{{Cite journal |last=Christoff |first=Peter |last2=Eckersley |first2=Robyn |date=2021-10-21 |title=Convergent evolution: framework climate legislation in Australia |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14693062.2021.1979927 |journal=Climate Policy |volume=21 |issue=9 |pages=1190–1204 |doi=10.1080/14693062.2021.1979927 |issn=1469-3062|doi-access=free }} The Act facilitates the early development of policies and programmes to support renewables and promotes the uptake of renewables by wholesale purchasers.{{Cite web |title=Environment and Climate Regulation Comparative Guide |url=https://www.mondaq.com/australia/environment/1130202/environment-and-climate-regulation-comparative-guide |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=www.mondaq.com |language=en}}

The Act legislates that the state has a legal obligation to ensure that emissions are reduced by 60% to an amount that is equal to or less than 40% of 1990 emissions levels.{{Cite web |title=(South Australia) Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Act 2007 – Policies |url=https://www.iea.org/policies/8623-south-australia-climate-change-and-greenhouse-emissions-reduction-act-2007 |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=IEA |language=en-GB}}

In 2024, an amendment bill was tabled in the South Australian Parliament to further strengthen the targets - net zero emissions by 2027.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-11-15 |title=Why SA's climate action is creating global buzz |url=https://thepostsa.au/environment/2024/11/15/why-sas-climate-action-is-creating-global-buzz/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219175837/https://thepostsa.au/environment/2024/11/15/why-sas-climate-action-is-creating-global-buzz/ |archive-date=2025-02-19 |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=The Post |language=en-US}}

Under the legislation the government of South Australia also made a commitment to make Adelaide "the world's first carbon neutral city" by 2020.{{Cite journal |last=Crossman |first=Sarah |last2=Spoehr |first2=John |last3=Siebentritt |first3=Mark |date=2016 |title=Climate Change and the Adaptive Economy: Discussion Paper |url=http://rgdoi.net/10.13140/RG.2.2.31437.69607 |journal=Australian Industrial Transformation Institute |doi=10.13140/RG.2.2.31437.69607}}

By 2018 local generation of wind and solar electricity had reached 52% and emissions had fallen 32% compared to 2005 levels. Local generation of electricity is expected to reach 100% by 2025.

• Climate change in Australia

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Category:Energy in South Australia

Category:Climate change in Australia