Ahead of federal elections, The Climate Institute does an assessment of the major parties' policies. In mid 2016, we find that all party policies need work to become credible, scalable and durable.

Policies are 'credible if they explicitly link to shared, meaningful, climate outcomes with transparent review processes. 'Scalable' means they address large parts of the economy and can be ramped up, or down, as needed. 'Durable' means they are informed by principles that maintain Australia’s economic competitiveness and enhance equity – that is, they are capable of maintaining political support and investor confidence over coming decades.

In addition to these indicators, The Climate Institute tested current policies against three key policy tests: Can they help limit dangerous global warming? Can they help build a modern and net zero emissions economy? Do they integrate assessment of climate risks and opportunities into decision-making?

The Climate Institute engaged with the parties about its policy priorities. We found the largest climate policy credibility gaps are with the Jacqui Lambie Network and the Coalition. The Greens, the GLT and Labor respectively have stronger policies. The Nick Xenophon Team has strengths, but requires more detail.