Discussing 'Potential Pathways to Decarbonisation'

Dr Sarah Bice.

“Potential Pathways to Decarbonisation” were discussed at a public session organized on November 10 by the Grattan Institute.

The panel for the Energy Futures Seminar featured Jeremy Bentham, who was the lead on Shell’s recently published plan to achieve net-zero emissions and transform four sectors of the energy system: power, industry, transport and buildings; Ross Garnaut, a Distinguished Professor of Economics at the Australian National University and a Vice-Chancellor's Fellow and Professorial Fellow of Economics at The University of Melbourne; Tony Wood, the Director of the Energy Program at the Grattan Institute; and Dr Sarah Bice from the University of Melbourne’s School of Government.

The global community has committed to deep decarbonisation by mid-century, yet, it is far from clear how we might get there, despite the progress made through last December’s Paris Agreement.

Listen to a recording of this event, including a Q&A with the audience.

Pathways to deep decarbonisation in 2050: how Australia can prosper in a low carbon world

The 'Pathways to Deep Decarbonisation in 2050: How Australia can prosper in a low carbon world' report, released 23 September 2014, presents an illustrative deep decarbonisation pathway for Australia – just one of many possible pathways – developed using a combination of well-established modelling tools to identify feasible and least-cost options.

This work finds that Australia can achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and live within its recommended carbon budget, using technologies that exist today, while maintaining economic prosperity. Major technological transitions and many activities are needed in some industries, but no fundamental change to Australia’s economy is required. The technologies required for decarbonisation are currently available or under development.

Decarbonisation of energy systems in all countries relies on three pillars: ambitious energy efficiency; low carbon electricity; and electrification and fuel switching. For Australia there is a fourth pillar: reducing non-energy emissions in industry and agriculture.

Read the ClimateWorks story - “Pathways to deep decarbonisation in 2050: how Australia can prosper in a low carbon world.”