The Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth is currently examining ways to use trade and investment can support Australia’s transition to becoming a green energy superpower. In their inquiry, the committee is examining where trade and investment are already having a positive impact, emerging and future trends, the role of commonwealth agencies, and areas of growth and how these can be accelerated.
ATSE and the AAS welcome the opportunity to respond to the Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth’s inquiry into Australia’s transition to a green energy superpower.
Recommendations
Recommendation 1:That the Committee highlights the importance of stable education and training pipelines to supply skills to realise the green energy superpower transition.
Recommendation 2: That planning for future energy requirements should be based on energy modelling conducted by AEMO to ensure sufficient energy supplies for green industries.
Recommendation 3: That Australia provides internationally comparable support for carbon removal via negative emissions approaches (such as DACCS) that include partnerships to stimulate international investment.
Recommendation 4: That Australia provides internationally comparable support for the development of a green hydrogen industry that includes enabling partnerships to stimulate international investment.
Recommendation 5: That the Committee highlights the potential gains for green energy and green energy commodity export from, and endorse, the implementation of the Australian Energy Research Plan developed by the Australian Council of Learned Academies.
Recommendation 6: That Australia develops a product-based carbon certification scheme supported by scientific evidence and in-line with Australia’s trading partners, to ensure Australian exporters can compete in an international low carbon economy.
Recommendation 7: That the Committee recommends developing a plan to coordinate and support development of green energy and green mineral hubs across companies to ensure maximum cost competitiveness.
Recommendation 8: That the Committee investigates policy options to support and re-skill workers to enable a just transition to employment in green energy jobs for affected communities.
Recommendation 9: That the Committee highlights the need to gain and maintain social license as a critical step in building the infrastructure which will enable Australia to become a green energy superpower.