Sydney raises the bar on climate targets with new five-year plan

The City of Sydney has raised the bar on its renewable energy and climate targets, with the release of a new five-year plan that targets 50 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.

Released on Tuesday, the Environmental Action 2016–2021 plan builds on the City’s already ambitious long-term program – including a 70 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030 – taking into account advances in renewables technology and the global climate commitments made in Paris last December.

According to reports, to meet the new targets, the City is considering replicating a City of Melbourne scheme under which the council, businesses and residents group together to sponsor large-scale renewable energy projects.

A Sydney City Council spokesperson told RenewEconomy on Tuesday that no tenders had been launched in connection with the new policy, and that any such tenders – or dedicated grant funding – would be deferred until after the draft plan’s period of public exhibition from 30 June to 12 August.

Read the RenewEconomy story - “City of Sydney targets 50% renewables by 2030, net zero emissions by 2050.”