ACTCOSS 2020 ACT Election issue brief: Climate and Energy: A Just Transition
For a just and fair Canberra, the next ACT Government must:
- Implement an effective plan for a just transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the ACT by 2045, if not sooner. This must:
- Develop a roadmap for low-income and other vulnerable households in the transition from natural gas and to zero emission vehicles that identifies and addresses barriers, ensuring no one is left behind
- Resource the collection of detailed data to assess whether a just transition is occurring in the ACT
- Fund independent research on the relative cost-benefit of growing the electricity grid versus maintaining and growing gas infrastructure
- Undertake and invest in workforce planning and skills training to ensure adequate capacity to deliver high quality services across the energy efficiency sector, and create jobs
- Establish a mechanism for joint governance of a just transition by community, government, technical experts, and business.
- Ensure Utilities Concession eligibility is adequate and targeted toward need (including to ACT Services Access Card holders) and continue the Energy Support Voucher program across all ACT energy retailers through the Utilities Hardship Fund
- Require ACT energy retailers to provide regular ‘better offer notifications’ to their customers, telling them if they have a plan that could reduce their bills
- Introduce legislation for staged minimum energy performance requirements for rental properties by the end of 2021
- Expand energy efficiency and productivity programs for low-income and rental households, aligned with the proposed National Low-income Energy Productivity Program
- Fund community energy consumer advocacy to represent the long-term interests of low-income, small business, and community sector energy consumers in decision making on climate and energy policy and programs.
Read the full issue brief below for more details, or read other issue briefs on our ACT Election page.