How can Canberrans keep cutting their greenhouse-gas emissions as their city grows quickly and spreads out? And how will the ACT benefit from going low-carbon? Having adopted stringent emissions targets for 2025 onwards, these questions are becoming front of mind for the ACT government.

The new targets include net zero emissions on or before 2045, with interim targets of 50 to 60 per cent emissions reduction by 2025; 65 to 75 per cent by 2030; and 90 to 95 per cent by 2040, all compared to the ACT's emissions in 1990. The 2020 target, which has been in place for several years, is a 40 per cent reduction.

Read the full article in The Canberra Times.

Written by Penny Sackett, an honorary professor at the ANU, and former Australian chief scientist; Frank Jotzo is a professor at the ANU's Crawford School of Public Policy; and Will Steffen, an emeritus professor at the ANU, is on the Climate Council of Australia. The authors are on the ACT Climate Change Council, an independent statutory body that advises the ACT government on climate change and paths for action. This is the first of several articles exploring how Canberra can transition to carbon neutrality.