Why Australia is working to reverse climate change

For a long decade, Australia has earned an enviable reputation as one of the world’s climate change ‘laggards’. From 2013 to 2022, governments weakened environmental regulations, cut funding for renewable energy, and fought against international climate change agreements. Climate scientists and activists have dubbed this period the country’s “lost decade.”

Now, new research by a group of experts from the Universities of Manchester and Melbourne reveals how Australia went from an era of inaction to passing the most ambitious climate change legislation in a generation, and why that transformation is still at risk.

The study, published in the Australian Journal of Political Science, tracks how the election of a centre-left government in 2022 may have triggered major changes. Within months, Australia passed the Climate Change Act, pledging to reduce emissions by 43% compared to 2005 levels by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

The government has announced plans to make 82% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, touting Australia as a “renewable energy superpower” due to its rich reserves of minerals such as lithium and cobalt, which are essential for electric cars and solar panels.

But researchers warn that this transformation is far from complete. They argue Australia is on a “double track” of expanding green energy while doubling its fossil fuel exports. In fact, in 2024, the government announced a new “Future Gas Strategy,” suggesting plans to continue supplying the global gas market well beyond 2050.

“This is a story of both progress and paralysis. Australia has made great strides, but falling behind means we are still playing catch-up, making us a follower rather than a leader in the global energy transition,” study co-author Dr Will Hopkinson said.

The study highlights that rather than charting a bold new course, the country must emulate the climate policies of other countries (such as the UK and New Zealand) and accept prices set by larger economies for critical minerals. By waiting so long to act, Australia missed an opportunity to shape a global market.

It also shows the human cost. Interviewed experts described how environmental scientists and renewable energy experts left the country in dismay, leaving Australia with a “brain drain” that left it short of skilled workers just as the green economy began to boom.

Co-author Dr Paul Tobin said: “Australia’s story is a warning to all countries, especially those deeply tied to fossil fuels.” “Delaying now means paying the price later in not only increased climate impacts such as wildfires and floods, but also lost opportunities for jobs, innovation and global impact.

“If countries want to shape the future, rather than scrambling to catch up, they need to act boldly and early. Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it is an issue of economic competitiveness, national identity and fairness for future generations.”