Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023 (NSW)

Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023 No 48

An Act to establish guiding principles for action to address climate change; to set targets for the reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions in New South Wales; to set an objective for New South Wales to be more resilient to a changing climate; and to establish the Net Zero Commission to monitor, review and report on progress towards the targets and the objective and to exercise other related functions.

Part 1 Preliminary

1 Name of Act This Act is the Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023.

2 Commencement This Act commences on the date of assent to this Act.

3 Purpose of Act (1) The purpose of this Act is to give effect to the international commitment established through the 2015 Paris Agreement to— (a) hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and (b) pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and (c) increase the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. (2) The Parliament of New South Wales, in enacting this Act, recognises— (a) there is a scientific consensus that human activity is causing abnormal changes to the climate, and (b) action is urgently required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to address the adverse impacts of climate change. (3) The Parliament of New South Wales, in enacting this Act, is committed to effective action on climate change to ensure a sustainable and fair future for the people, economy and environment of New South Wales.

4 Objects of Act The objects of this Act are as follows— (a) to establish guiding principles for action to address climate change, (b) to set targets for the reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions in New South Wales until 2050, (c) to set an objective for New South Wales to be more resilient to a changing climate, (d) to establish the Net Zero Commission to independently monitor, review and report on progress in New South Wales towards the targets, the adaptation objective and other matters.