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Australia's transport emissions
Australia's transport sector is the third largest source of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, amounting to 21% of national emissions in 2023. Since 2005, transport sector greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 19% and are currently projected to be the largest in Australia by 2030.
Reducing emissions in the transport sector through low carbon and renewable energy sources will require concerted action across government and industry to secure long lasting benefits, while managing and minimising the impacts of the transition.
What is the Australian Government doing?
We are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 43% below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
To plan for the future, the government is developing a Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Roadmap and Action Plan in consultation with industry to support reducing transport emissions. The Roadmap and Action Plan will provide a clear strategy to:
- reduce emissions across the transport and infrastructure sectors
- support national and international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- maximise on economic and productivity opportunities
- provide investors with future investment certainty
- deliver a nationally consolidated approach to accelerate decarbonisation for key sectors.
It will examine the potential pathways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 across all transport modes (road, aviation, maritime and rail), freight and supply chains, active and public transport planning, and supporting infrastructure.
The Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Roadmap and Action Plan will be the transport sector plan, one of six sectoral emissions reduction plans that will support the Australian Government’s Net Zero Plan.
Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Consultation Roadmap
To support the development of the Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Roadmap and Action Plan, the Australian Government released the Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Consultation Roadmap. The Consultation Roadmap sought feedback to help set out the pathways and actions for Australia's transport and infrastructure to play its part in achieving economy wide net zero. The consultation period has now closed.
The feedback provided will guide the development of the actions and policies the Government will commit to in the final Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Roadmap and Action Plan.
Consultation Roadmap documents:
- Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Consultation Roadmap
- Executive Summary – Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Consultation Roadmap
- Timeline of transport decarbonisation technology pathways
In early June we hosted an online information session on the Roadmap and the potential decarbonisation pathways examined within it. Watch the session below.
Work underway to date
The government is already decarbonising the transport sector by:
- increasing the uptake of electric vehicles and introducing a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard through the National Electric Vehicle Strategy
- improving consumer information including real world emissions testing
- supporting zero emissions travel through the Active Transport Fund
- developing a Maritime Emissions Reduction National Action Plan
- convening the Australian Jet Zero Council to work with the aviation industry to ensure a strong and sustainable aviation sector that supports emissions reduction targets, while growing jobs and innovation
- investments in Inland Rail, High Speed Rail and intermodal hubs to increase the attractiveness of moving freight and passengers by rail
- engaging with international partners to reduce shipping emissions.
As part of our Future Made in Australia plan, the Government is fast-tracking support for a low carbon liquid fuel industry. Our initial focus will be on developing domestic production capability in sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel, to support emissions reduction in the aviation, heavy vehicle, rail and maritime sectors.
In the 2024–25 Federal Budget, the Government announced the following initiatives to assist with decarbonisation of the aviation sector:
- $18.5 million over four years from 2024–25 to develop a certification scheme for low carbon liquid fuels, including Sustainable Aviation Fuels, in the transport sector by expanding the Guarantee of Origin scheme.
- $1.5 million over two years from 2024–25 to undertake a regulatory impact analysis of the costs and benefits of introducing mandates or other demand-side measures for low carbon liquid fuels.
- Investing $1.7 billion over the next decade in the Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund, to support the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to commercialise net zero innovations including low-carbon liquid fuels.
