The independent Net Zero Commission's Annual Report released today warns NSW is further away from meeting its legislated emissions reductions targets than it was last year as new coal extensions and data centres put net zero further out of reach.
The Net Zero Commission is calling for stronger planning controls to account for emissions reductions targets in assessment of developments, and has warned that any new coal expansions are incompatible with the state's binding emissions reductions targets.
Greens MP and Environment Spokesperson Sue Higginson said,"The Net Zero Commission's striking report reveals that New South Wales is not on track to meet our legislated emissions reductions targets, and that dangerously we are actually getting further away year-on-year,
"Labor Premier Chris Minns went to the last election promising strong action on climate, but instead his Government has approved 11 new coal projects, in contradiction of the climate science and of his own climate legal framework,
"The Net Zero Commission has been unequivocal in its denunciation of the Minns Labor Government's reckless NSW Coal Industry Strategy, the idea we can approve new coal extensions and expansions whilst reducing coal emissions is a dangerous fiction,
"People are losing trust in our planning system which is allowing so much harm and driving climate pollution emissions up rather than down. It's clear that the system is structured to deliver for corporate lobbyists, whether it's the Premier's mentor Morris Iemma, his Minerals Council friend Stephen Galilee, and the proponents of data centres,
"The Net Zero Commission has been clear that climate impacts must be accounted for as the paramount concern in planning decisions, whether it is coal, gas, data centres or any other kind of development,
"Former Supreme Court Justice Basten has warned that our planning system's approach to new coal is legally erroneous and contrary to our international obligations, it is time for the Premier to see the writing on the wall and announce an end to new coal and a moratorium on data centres and change the settings," Ms Higginson said.
