Future Roadmap of Australia’s Net Zero Transport Mobility

Forkan Ali

Transformation of the urban mobility sector to reach the Net Zero emissions target is one of the substantial challenges the world encounter. While world transport makes up nearly a quarter of total emissions, the transport sector shares 19% of Australia’s total carbon emissions (see Figure 12) and becoming the third largest fastest growing source of GHG emissions (Climate Council 2017).[1] Light transports like cars are responsible for half of the carbon emissions in the Australian mobility sector. In a study conducted amongst 23 countries, Australia places itself in second-last position in terms of transport energy efficiency and it has been called the “dumping ground” for the heaviest polluting vehicles in the world. A massive transformation of transport sectors is essential and a shift towards electric transport is one of the key ways to put forward. The positive thing is that the federal governments and state governments have realised the severity of the condition and the opportunity to be one of the leaders in addressing one of the fastest-growing sources of emissions. Although different jurisdictions are moving at different speeds, many of them have already outlined several strategies in their policy documents and allocated funds to implement some of them.

Australian National Electric Vehicle Strategy

Tackling transport-related emissions through electrification is imperative for the Australian government to reach Net Zero by 2050. However, Australia is still lagging behind many other developed and emerging countries in terms of electric vehicle deployment (see Figure 13). Electric vehicles (EVs)[3] as a new transport invention are used across the world for reaching the global climate goal of limiting temperatures below 20C along with having low running costs compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) transports.

Australia’s National Electric Vehicle Strategy is a part of the Labour Government’s grand Powering Australia plan “to create jobs, cut power bills and reduce emissions by boosting renewable energy” (ALP 2022).[5]  The objectives of the National Electric Vehicle Strategy are stated below:

National Electric Vehicle Strategy Objectives

·       Build on the strong platform that governments and industry have already started

·       Deliver a nationally consistent, comprehensive, and overarching framework

·       Enhance existing actions to ensure greater alignment with the Strategy

·       Raise the pace and scale of change

·       Address national gaps so all Australians can access the benefits of EVs

·       Be dynamic and adapt over time to reflect the rapidly evolving nature of the sector

·       Make sure we are on track to meet our emissions and transport electrification goals and proposed objectives.

This strategy also involves actions to bring momentum in transition across all road transport areas including initiatives connected to light and heavy vehicles micro-mobility, and motorbikes. The government’s proposed framework for the National Electric Vehicle Strategy is shown in the figure below.

Figure 14: Australian Government’s proposed framework for the National Electric Vehicle Strategy, adapted from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (2022).[6]

The National Electric Vehicle Strategy incorporates various policies and develops initiatives already underway. The strategy also promotes the swift expansion of demand for EVs, enhances the supply of affordable and accessible EVs, increases competitiveness in the EV value chain, and builds infrastructure across Australia including inspiring local and state economies.

Net Zero Strategies for Australian Cities

Australian states and territories join other global cities around the world in maintaining efficient urban form mobility and reducing GHG emissions. Although the different cities are advancing at a different pace, most of them have aimed to re-structure the overall transport infrastructure to achieve Net Zero. For instance, Australian Capital Territory (ACT)’s Transport Strategy is an inseparable part of both Statements of Ambition that sets out the ACT government’s vision and ACT Climate Change Strategy 2019-2025, declaring a state of climate emergency (ACT Government 2022)[7]. The strategy states actions to address the ACT government’s legislated emissions decline target of 50%-60% by 2025 and aims to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2045, involving the shift towards a Zero emissions fleet by 2040.  Transport contributes 60% of ACT’s GHGs since the Territory is supplied with 100% renewable electricity. Most of these vehicle-related emissions come from private vehicles (69%), freight (20%), and public transport (3%). Therefore, transport-related emissions reduction is at the heart of the Act Government’s climate change response.

To take action on the strategy, the ACT Government adopts the Zero-Emission Transition Plan for Transport Canberra, mapping out a practical pathway to take initiative in the transition away from fossil fuels. The Plan creates a robust supply chain and develops capability as the economy transitions to an emission-free future guided by six objectives as shown in Figure 15 (ACT Government 2020).[8]

These objectives outline the near-term investment and decision-making strategies for the way decisions will be implemented at the local levels contributing to the emissions reduction outcomes.

Australia’s busiest state New South Wales with its capital city Sydney also adopts Future Transport Strategy to make NSW Government’s Six Cities vision into reality through three actions: connecting regional communities, encouraging thriving local neighbourhoods, and strengthening NSW’s economy as shown in figure 16 (NSW Government 2022).[9] The Future Transport Plans replaces Greater Sydney, and Regional NSW Services developed in connection with land use.

Decarbonisation is at the heart of NSW’s goal of Net Zero emissions and requires decarbonisation and electrification with a focus on renewable sources across the transport system to meet the emissions reduction goal by 20250. For decarbonising heavy freight, NSW Government looks to collaborate with Commonwealth (Federal) Government and other states and territories. Moreover, NSW’s Future Transport Strategy includes extensive research, planning, technological innovation, supportive policies, and infrastructure transformation.

[1] Climate Council (2017). Transport Emissions: Driving Down Car Pollution In Cities. https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/FactSheet-Transport.pdf. Accessed 30 Nov 2022.

[2] Australian Government (2019). Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: March 2019. Department of the Environment and Energy. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/nggi-quarterly-update-mar-2019.pdf. Accessed 30 Nov 2022.

[3] The National Strategy defines Electric Vehicles (EVs) as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

[4] Australian Government (2022). National Electric Vehicle Strategy.  Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. https://storage.googleapis.com/converlens-au-industry/industry/p/prj21fdd5bb6514260f47fcd/public_assets/National%20Electric%20Vehicle%20Strategy%20Consultation%20Paper.pdf. Accessed 30 Nov 2022.

[5] Australian Labor Party—ALP (2022). Powering Australia. https://www.alp.org.au/policies/powering-australia. Accessed 30 Nov 2022.

[6] Australian Government (2022). National Electric Vehicle Strategy.  Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. https://storage.googleapis.com/converlens-au-industry/industry/p/prj21fdd5bb6514260f47fcd/public_assets/National%20Electric%20Vehicle%20Strategy%20Consultation%20Paper.pdf.  Accessed 30 Nov 2022.

[7] ACT Government (2022). ACT Climate Change Strategy 2019-2025.   https://www.transport.act.gov.au/act-transport-strategy/setting-the-scene/policy-context. Accessed 30 Nov 2022.  

[8] ACT Government (2020). The Zero-Emission Transition Plan for Transport Canberra. ZERO-EMISSION-TRANSITION-FINAL-.pdf (act.gov.au). Accessed 30 Nov 2022. 

[9] NSW Government (2022). Future Transport Strategy. Future Transport Strategy: Our vision for transport in NSW. Accessed 30 Nov 2022.