With the 100 per cent renewable electricity goal in sight, one of the Territory’s new Climate Councillors expects the ACT Government to go ‘hard and fast’ on transforming transport, as well as looking at changing the way we heat and cool our buildings, in the next drive to reduce the Territory’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Director of the Australian National University (ANU) Climate Change Institute, Professor Mark Howden, a 30-year veteran in this area, is one of four new members of the ACT Climate Council, which advises the Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability on matters relating to reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as building resilience and adapting to climate change.

Professor Howden remains optimistic despite the frustration that not enough is being done to avert costly damage to the environment and the economy.

He also believes that despite being a small jurisdiction the ACT is showing the way forward for others on how to deal with the threat of climate change, but sounds a warning about the challenges of building and maintaining the green infrastructure to mitigate rising temperatures.

Read the article by Ian Bushnell on The Riot Act.