Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy

As the first step to achieving the Australian Public Service Net Zero 2030 target, the Australian Government released the Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy in November 2023, supported by a roadmap.

The strategy describes the approach for implementing the government’s commitment to achieve net zero, as included in Australia’s Nationally Determined Contribution Communication 2022 under the Paris Agreement.

Practical actions, targets and measures required to reduce emissions are set out in the strategy (overview in Figure 4). These reductions will come from sources including:

  • electricity
  • buildings and energy efficiency
  • procurement
  • vehicle fleet
  • business travel
  • computing and data systems.

Reductions will also come from driving change through people, culture and capability.

Figure 4: Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy overview

Infographic showing measures to reduce emissions: Travel, with plane, Officials encouraged to consider low emissions travel, Reporting, with clouds, on scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions, Energy, with wind turbines, entities will join WoAG arrangements to procure energy to meet target, Buildings & ICT, building to show fossil-free buildings for property & net zero for ICT usage, Fleet, with car to show EV charging infrastructure for Fleet Vehicle, Procurement, building with solar panels that considers emissions.

Source: Finance

Non-corporate and corporate Commonwealth entities started emissions reporting in 2022–23. Finance aggregated this emissions data and published the Australian Government’s Net Zero in Government Operations Annual Progress Report in 2022-23. This data forms an initial baseline for emissions. Future publications will track progress towards APS Net Zero by 2030.

Based on 2022–23 emissions data, non-corporate and corporate Commonwealth entities emitted an approximate total of 3,286,328 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (location-based method) emissions. The single largest source of emissions was from electricity consumption.

Entities committed to the APS Net Zero by 2030 are to publish their emissions reduction plans in the second half of 2024. These plans define the priorities and actions each entity will take to support the 2030 target.

Development and implementation of the complementary climate action in government operations policy, Commonwealth Climate Disclosure, is also underway. All departments of state will report on climate risk management activities in their 2023–24 annual reports against a limited range of criteria.

Find out more

Finance (n.d.) APS Net Zero Emissions by 2030, Finance website, accessed 09 July 2024. 

Finance (2023) 2022-23 Net Zero in Government Operations Annual Progress Report, Finance website, accessed 09 July 2024. 

Finance (2024) Commonwealth Climate Disclosure, Finance website, accessed 09 July 2024.

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