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Prime minister announces 2035 target to cut emissions by up to 70%
Net Zero Plan sets out five priorities for decarbonisation
Sectoral roadmaps cover energy, transport, agriculture, resources and industry
Treasury says orderly transition will support jobs and growth
Government warns failure to act risks missed investment and higher costs
Australia has announced an ambitious new climate target, pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 62-70 per cent below 2005 levels by 2035, as part of its pathway to net zero by 2050.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese unveiled the target on September 18, 2025 alongside the government’s net zero plan and six sectoral roadmaps, describing the measures as “ambitious”, “achievable” and in Australia’s “national interest”.
The 2035 target builds on Australia’s existing 2030 pledge and is designed to provide a “strong investment signal” for industries, the government said. It follows advice from the independent Climate Change Authority, which recommended the range adopted.
The net zero plan outlines five priorities for decarbonisation: Clean electricity across the economy, lowering emissions by electrification and efficiency, expanding clean fuel use, accelerating new technologies and net carbon removals scaled up.
Supporting measures include the Safeguard Mechanism for industry, a new vehicle efficiency standard, cheaper home batteries and expansion of renewable energy through the Capacity Investment Scheme and Rewiring the Nation programme.
Sector-specific plans released alongside the target aim to accelerate decarbonisation in electricity, agriculture and land, the built environment, industry, resources and transport. These include measures for energy efficiency, clean energy supply scale-up, switch to alternative low-carbon fuels in industry, deploying heavy electric vehicles, carbon capture and storage, and more.
Treasury modelling underpinning the plan suggested that a net zero pathway would support economic growth, create jobs and keep electricity prices lower than in a disorderly transition. The government argued that failing to act would leave Australia less competitive globally, with reduced investment and missed opportunities in clean energy exports.
Releasing the plan, the government stressed that while some climate impacts were unavoidable, “every action we take now helps avoid the worst impacts on Australians”.