Open access. A Footprint list of key climate change and sustainability developments to watch out for in 2020.
Climate change
Footprint recently listed key opportunities for changes in federal climate change policy for the coming year here (also an open access article).
One item to add is a review of the National Energy Productivity Plan, which currently aims to improve Australia's energy productivity by 40% between 2015 and 2030.
There hasn't yet been an official statement, but a review is tipped to be announced before the end of the year.
At the state level:
Victoria must finalise its interim 2025 and 2030 state greenhouse gas targets by the end of March.
Victoria will also finalise by the end of May proposed new targets and arrangements for the Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme (formerly VEET).
NSW will release its net-zero plan, which will include interim emissions targets, in the near future. It will also finalise and implement its electricity strategy.
The NSW government will additionally attempt to secure passage of a bill that would abolish a long-standing provision requiring assessments of new mines to consider downstream carbon emissions.
The Western Australian EPA will finalise its guidance on greenhouse gas emissions by the end of March, after releasing a draft version this month.
The Edwell taskforce will also provide its advice to the Western Australian by mid-2020 on an energy transformation strategy for the state.
Sustainability
Victoria's new environmental law, which establishes a general environmental duty, is due to take effect in July.
Queensland will legislate in 2020 against some single-use plastic products, after releasing an anti-plastic plan last month, and South Australia will also introduce a bill on single-use plastics.
Similarly, Western Australia and the ACT are investigating new strategies to deal with plastic waste.
Victoria is expected to release a circular economy policy in the near future.
The review of the federal EPBC Act will be completed before the end of 2020, which is likely to lead to major changes to the legislation.
A review of agvet chemicals law and policy will be well underway in 2020, with its final report due to go to the federal government in February 2021.
The NSW government must work out a strategy to deal with the fall-out of its ban on the application to land of material derived from treated mixed waste organics.
There is no guarantee, but 2020 should see the release of the long-awaited final reports of two reviews, those of the federal Product Stewardship Act (launched in March 2017) and the National Pollutant Inventory (started in January 2017).
A Senate committee inquiry into product stewardship, packaging and plastics is due to report in March.
Environment ministers will decide in 2020 whether to make any adjustments to their proposed arrangements for banning the export of some waste streams.
The federal government might launch a parliamentary treaties committee review as a precursor to ratifying the Minimata convention on mercury, having undertaken six years ago to sign it.
The Morrison government might also launch a treaties committee review of an amendment to Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants that would result in Australia having new obligations to control the use of PFOS (a type of PFAS chemical).
The new Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme takes effect from July 1, replacing the NICNAS chemicals assessment scheme and establishing a ban on the use of animal testing data for cosmetics.
Footprint is taking a break for the Christmas and New Year holidays, and will resume publishing in mid-January.
We wish all readers a very happy Christmas, and a safe and successful New Year.
Our office will be staffed intermittently over the holidays and can be reached on (02) 9267 3800.
Thanks for your support, tips, news, and comments over the past year.
We look forward to keeping you up to speed with all the carbon and sustainability news and developments that 2020 is sure to bring.
