Australia’s Climate Change Department Cannot Prove How Effective It Is at Reducing Emissions: Audit

A new audit has revealed that Australia’s Climate Change Department’s own reporting methods are not helping the country reduce its carbon emissions. The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has released a report (pdf) assessing the effectiveness of the Department’s governance arrangements designed to support the federal Labor government’s plan to combat climate change. The audit followed two pieces of legislation passed by the federal parliament in September 2022 that outlined the national goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The Department has been tasked with managing and coordinating actions, policies, and strategies that facilitate the government’s climate change plan and is required to report the progress to the Parliament annually....