The Climate Change Authority has recommended Australia set a 2035 target to reduce the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions by 62–70% compared with 2005 levels. The Authority is required to give independent, expert advice to the Australian Government on the targets Australia should include in its next Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement on climate change. 

This report outlines the methodology used to inform the advice, implementation pathways, navigating impacts and opportunities, and the international context. The advice recognises geopolitical uncertainties, implementation barriers and the potential for technological advances.

Stronger policy settings are needed to achieve the recommended target. The Australian Government has put foundational policies in place that can be strengthened and supported to remove barriers, lower costs and ease implementation. These include the Capacity Investment Scheme, the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, the improved Safeguard Mechanism and the Australian Carbon Credit Units Scheme.

Key findings

• The recommended 62–70% target means accelerating emissions reductions and roughly halving Australia’s current emissions in the next decade.
• Technologies exist now to achieve the recommended 2035 target.
• The Authority recommends the Australian Government should aim for the top of the 62–70% range, prepare for breakthroughs and setbacks, and not rule out 'overachievement,' should greater emissions reductions prove possible.
• CSIRO modelling shows the Australian economy can keep growing by an average of 2.7% each year while achieving the recommended target.

The report is accompanied by a data pack.