This was the first joint meeting between Energy and Climate Change Ministers and Building Ministers from federal, state and territory governments. Ministers were joined by the Australian Local Government Association.
Improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions in the built environment sector is essential for reducing cost of living pressures for Australian households and businesses and seizing the opportunities of Australia’s transformation to a net zero economy. Energy and Climate Change, and Building Ministers, are committed to achieving net zero emissions in the built environment by 2050 and contributing to a 43% reduction in emissions by 2030.
The built environment consists of the everyday places people live and work, and it is where many Australians will directly experience the impacts of climate change. Improving energy efficiency in buildings will reduce energy bills for households and businesses. Improving the energy performance of our buildings will also become increasingly important to support comfortable living year-round and better health outcomes.
Ministers agreed that greater collaboration between the ECMC and BMM is important to support the built environment’s transition to net zero, with the greatest opportunities to support electrification, energy efficiency, demand flexibility and reporting. Ministers also agreed to continue to work together.
Ministers noted the alignment and intersection of the Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings (the Trajectory), which outlines options for shared initiatives between states, territories and the Commonwealth, and the Built Environment Sector Plan (BESP), which will contribute to the development of the Government’s 2050 net zero plan and Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target.