Policy Engagement Overview
In September 2022, the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) released its draft Climate Change Policy (Draft Policy) and Action Plan (Draft Action Plan) for public consultation. InfluenceMap has detected that the overall engagement with the policy appears to be largely not supportive or oppositional. Entities holding these positions appeared to be industry associations representing the oil and gas and resource sector companies.
Policy Engagement Trends
A number of companies and associations appeared unsupportive of NSW EPA’s Climate Policy and Action Plan on the basis that it risks duplicating existing regulation while stating preference for climate regulation to come at a federal level, including the NSW Minerals Council, Australian Pipelines and Gas Association, the Energy Council, AGL and Glencore. This is despite the NSW EPA acknowledging that it will consider existing state and federal policy when designing its own climate action plan.
There appeared to also be particular opposition to the proposal to allow the EPA to set GHG emissions targets and limits on facilities in the state. AGL appeared to stress the risk that a strict GHG mandate may cause thermal generators to close and could lead to higher electricity prices. Orica supported the proposal to implement GHG emission targets with major exceptions, stating that the limit should not exceed Safeguard Mechanism requirements and stressed the potential impact on emissions intensive trade exposed facilities (EITE's), stating such targets will affect competitiveness. Glencore appeared to oppose the proposal while advocating for the exclusion of Safeguard Mechanism facilities from any additional emissions limits at the state level.
Impacts on Policy Ambition
Consultation on the draft policy and action plan occurred from September 2022 to November 2022. The final Climate Change Policy and Action Plan: 2023–26 was released in January 2023. The objectives of the final plan remain the same with the aims of supporting and complementing the NSW Government’s overarching climate change objectives to maximise the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of NSW in the context of a changing climate, making NSW more resilient and adapted to a changing climate, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with the NSW Government’s net zero targets. These targets include a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030, compared to 2005 levels; a 70% reduction in emissions by 2035, compared to 2005 levels; and net zero emissions by 2050. The final plan also retained its proposal for sector specific emissions reduction targets which was one of the main proposals targeted by negative advocacy.
