On 21 September 2023, the WA government released information on forthcoming climate legislation.

The legislation will create a framework for government action on climate change, formalising a target of net zero emissions by 2050 and requiring the Minister to set interim emission reduction targets and develop policies to reduce emissions and plan for adaptation to climate change in the future.

The website for the proposed legislation includes a fact sheet and explanatory paper, as well as some answers to frequently asked questions. A copy of the proposed legislation has not been made publicly available.

EDO has prepared reference material outlining the key principles for good climate legislation.

Based on that document, EDO has prepared a scorecard which analyses what we know about the proposed legislation against the key principles for good climate legislation.

The Government is only undertaking formal consultation with identified stakeholders. The formal consultation period ends on 17 October 2023. However, if you have any comments or feedback on the legislation, you can contact the Department to make a written submission via [email protected].