On 18 April 2024, the Queensland Parliament passed the Clean Economy Jobs Act 2024 (the Act). The Act legislates Queensland's emissions reduction targets, including net zero emissions by 2050.

• The Act requires the government to develop emissions reduction plans that will support achievement of the targets. These plans will detail priorities for key sectors of the Queensland economy to support the transition to net zero.

The Act requires that:

• emission reduction plans are developed in consultation with stakeholders
• the program of emission reduction plans is reviewed every five years to ensure the plans are fit for purpose and represent a robust pathway to meet the state’s emission reduction targets
• an annual progress statement be tabled in Parliament outlining how the state is tracking towards its targets.
  • As required by the Act, a Clean Economy Expert Panel has been established to provide advice to government on achieving the state’s targets.

The Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) is a key element of Queensland’s environmental legal system. Its objective is to protect Queensland’s environment while allowing for development that improves the total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains ecological processes (ecologically sustainable development).

The EP Act and its subordinate legislation provides a range of tools to enable this objective to be met. These tools range from providing for a licensing system for environmentally relevant activities (ERAs) (called an environmental authority) through to response tools such as environmental enforcement orders.

Under the EP Act, environmental protection policies may be developed to cover specific aspects of the environment. There are approved policies for the air environment, acoustic environment, and for water and wetland biodiversity.

Table 1: Administration of activities under the EP Act by relevant administration

Legislation amendments

All Queenslanders have a ‘general environmental duty’ (GED) under the Environmental Protection Act 1994.

In addition, specific activities require an approval from the administering authority in order to carry out those activities. These activities can be characterised as:

• Environmentally relevant activities
• Contaminated land management

The chief executive for the EP Act must report on the administration of the Act each year. See below link for further information.

Key legislative amendments are also detailed on the department’s website.

More information:

• Environmental Protection Act overview
• Environmental Protection Act
• Environmentally relevant activities
• Contaminated land
• Annual reports

The Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 contains measures to facilitate Queensland’s transition to a circular economy through waste avoidance, reduction, increased resource recovery and safe management and disposal.

The key provisions of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 include:

• a levy on waste delivered to waste disposal sites
• a refund scheme for beverage containers
• a ban on prescribed single-use plastic items
• requirements for Queensland Government agencies and local governments to prepare waste management plans
• an annual report by the department on waste disposal and recycling in Queensland
• introduction of product stewardship arrangements for any waste products that are identified as a growing problem for landfills in the future
• offences relating to littering and illegal dumping
• requirements for making end of waste codes.

More information:

• Waste legislation

The Air Quality Investigations program supports the statutory role of the department in:

• investigating complaints
• managing emissions from licenced facilities
• compliance and regulatory enforcement activities.

The investigative air monitoring program provides the baseline data required to assess the veracity of community concerns and determine if changes are needed to existing industry emissions management.

More information:

• Monitoring programs and investigations

Carbon farming presents an opportunity to help restore balance by:

• using land-based plant life and wetlands to naturally reabsorb excess carbon dioxide
• changing land management practices to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from human activities.

Trees and other parts of our environment can reabsorb some of the extra carbon dioxide, but the capacity of the Earth to do this is limited.

Carbon farming land management seek to:

• reduce carbon emissions from human activities
• increase carbon sequestration in carbon sinks
• provide landholders with a range of benefits, such as increased natural capital and an alternate source of income.

Many Queensland landholders are already earning an income from carbon projects. The Australian Government Clean Energy Regulator provides a register that can be searched to see where registered carbon projects are occurring in Queensland. Alternatively, carbon credits can be retained by landholders and surrendered to offset on-farm emissions. We are growing the carbon farming industry in Queensland through the Land Restoration Fund (LRF).

Carbon farming key concepts

There are several key concepts that all landholders should be familiar with when considering undertaking a carbon farming project. Please refer to the Clean Energy Regulator for detailed information. All Land Restoration Fund (LRF) projects must also abide by these requirements.

Carbon farming methods

All Land Restoration Fund (LRF) projects must follow an approved Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme method to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). The methods explain how to carry out a carbon farming project and measure the resulting reductions in emissions. The methods ensure the emission reductions are real and in addition to business-as-usual operations.

Each method specifies:

• the activities to conduct
• how to measure carbon abatement
• the monitoring, record keeping and reporting requirements.

The list of eligible carbon farming methods for LRF investment will be specific to each investment round.

There are three types of land sector carbon methods that can generate ACCUs in 2024:

1. Agricultural methods
2. Vegetation methods
3. Savanna fire management methods

More information:

• About the Land Restoration Fund
• ACCU project and contract register

The Climate Solutions Fund-Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) provides incentives for emissions reduction activities across the Australian economy to support achieving of Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target. The Emissions Reduction Fund’s core principles are to reduce emissions at lowest cost and purchasing genuine and additional emissions reductions.

The ERF operates alongside existing programs that are already working to reduce Australia’s emissions growth such as the Renewable Energy Target and energy efficiency standards on appliances, equipment and buildings. The Safeguard mechanism began in July 2016, to ensure emissions reductions paid for through the ERF are not offset by significant increases in emissions elsewhere in the economy. The Australian Government provided $2.55 billion toward the ERF, with further funding to be considered in future budgets.

The ERF offers a range of opportunities for businesses, local councils, state governments and land managers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with agriculture, energy, waste, transport, and industrial processes. As of March 2020, the ERF had secured over 192.1 million tonnes of abatement through 473 projects under contract.

More information:

• Government and international initiatives

Queenslanders use close to three billion beverage containers every year. The introduction of the legislated state-wide container refund scheme, Containers for Change, incentivises people to collect and return containers for recycling in exchange for a 10-cent refund per container.

The container refund scheme aims to:

• reduce the amount of littered drink containers
• increase Queensland’s recycling rate
• create new jobs, recycling and fundraising opportunities, providing benefits to social enterprises, communities, and regional and remote areas.

Between when Containers for Change commenced on 1 November 2018 and 30 June 2024:

• over 10.3 billion containers have been returned through container refund points and material recovery facilities,
• more than 1,500 jobs have been created,
• more than $851 million has been refunded to individuals,
• a further $13.5 million has been refunded to charities and community groups.

More information:

• Containers for Change

Central to the Queensland Government’s climate change management response is a target of zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, supported by an interim target of reducing emissions by at least 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.

More information:

• Queensland Climate Change Response
• Climate Change Initiatives and Actions

On 4 June 2020, the Queensland Government released the Energy from Waste (EfW) Policy for Queensland (the Policy) as a key action under the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy.

EfW refers to converting waste that is not practical to reuse or recycle into fuels, electricity, heating or cooling.

The Policy provides a clear framework outlining the requirements for proponents wishing to establish EfW facilities in Queensland. These requirements include demonstrating that projects are:

• technically sound
• compatible with future recycling goals
• meet high standards of community engagement, environmental protection and energy production.

The Policy also outlines a preference for EfW industries that produce higher-value commodities, such as fuels, over electricity and heat.

The Policy is supported by the EfW Guideline, which provides further guidance on the scope, intention and application of the Policy.

More information:

• Energy from Waste Policy

To 30 June 2024 the Queensland Government delivered several initiatives to support households and businesses transition to a low-carbon economy, including the following.

• The Queensland Business Energy Saving and Transformation (QBEST) Program providing rebates of up to $12,500 to eligible small and medium-sized Queensland businesses to install energy-efficient equipment.
• The Queensland Building Plan (QBP) guiding policy change and legislation, including to improve sustainability performance by updating the National Construction Code (NCC).
• The digital electricity program ensuring that all new and replacement electricity meters installed in homes are digital. They provide more accurate and up-to-date information on usage patterns for consumers.
• ecoBiz: Delivered in partnership with the Business Chamber Queensland, the ecoBiz program provides free personal coaching, site surveys, training and tools to small and medium-sized businesses to help them improve resource efficiency and environmental sustainability and reduce emissions and operating costs. During the 2023-24 Financial Year, the ecoBiz program delivered a total of 12,077 tCO₂-e avoided emissions.
• The Climate Smart Energy Savers rebate provided between $300 and $1,000 for the replacing old appliances with 4-star energy-efficiency rated (or higher) appliances and hot water systems. Eligible appliances had to be purchased and installed on or after the program commencement date and on or before the closure date to be eligible.

Targets and outcomes

• In 2023 and 2024, the QBEST program supported small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with rebates up to $12,500 for installing small-scale energy-efficient equipment and appliances or pursuing other opportunities that demonstrate savings in energy bills, consumption and emissions.
• QBP’s target was to increase residential energy efficiency standards for new houses and units under the NCC 2022 to require:
• 7-stars (out of 10) for the building shell (up from 6-stars), and
• a new whole-of-home energy budget for a dwelling’s major fixtures and any on-site renewable energy, e.g. solar photovoltaic (PV) system
• QBP’s outcomes included:
  • Queensland adopting the residential energy efficiency standards as part of the update of the NCC 2022 (part of the Modern Homes standards, along with liveable housing design)
• Liveable housing design standards were introduced with NCC 2022 to improve the access and function of new houses and units.
• Digital Electricity metering is targeting 100% penetration of smart meters by 2030.
• As of June 2024, over 680,000 meters (32.9% of total meters) were installed in South East Queensland (SEQ) and 380,000 (37.7% of total meters) in regional Queensland.
• Over 800 businesses registered in the ecoBiz program and 80% of them recorded increases in productivity and savings.
• In the 2023-24 financial year, ecoBiz participants saved on average:
  • 22% on their electricity costs
  • 9% on their water costs
  • 5% on their waste management costs.

In 2023, more than 72,700 Queensland households received cost-of-living relief through the $44M Climate Smart Energy Savers (CSES) energy-efficient appliance rebate program.

The Queensland Government is reducing emissions across its own operations. Key initiatives include:

• joining the international Under2Coalition to support the global shift to zero net emissions by 2050
• delivering the Queensland Police Service Electricity Optimisation Project that has seen 1.7MW of solar systems installed at 45 police stations across Queensland
• transparently reporting carbon emissions from all Queensland Government operations through the Open Data Portal
• the QFleet Electric Vehicle Strategy that commits to at least doubling the number of electric vehicles in the government fleet annually from 2018 to 2022
• investing $97 million in the Advancing Clean Energy Schools program to cut energy costs across state schools through solar and energy efficiency measures
• Queensland Government and below50 Australia Statement of Collaboration to grow an advanced bioeconomy and promote the production and use of sustainable, low carbon fuels incorporating the zero net emissions by 2050 target into Queensland Government procurement policy
• reducing and offsetting emissions from Queensland Government vehicles
• using the land-use planning system to support delivery of zero net emissions
• reintroducing comprehensive vegetation management legislation

More information:

• Queensland Government initiatives and actions
• Under2 Coalition
• Queensland Police Service Electricity Optimisation Project
• Open Data Portal
• QFleet Environmental strategy
• Advancing Queensland Clean Energy Schools program
• below50
• Queensland Government Procurement Policy
• QFleet Electric Vehicle Transition Strategy
• Queensland Land Use Planning Mapping Program (QLUMP)   application

The Queensland Government is committed to reducing the amount and impacts of littered and illegally dumped wastes in Queensland. A key deliverable of Queensland’s Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy is the Keeping Queensland Clean: the Litter and Illegal Dumping Plan.

Released in June 2021, this plan:

• sets the context for managing litter and illegal dumping in Queensland
• identifies the issues which need to be addressed
• provides a way forward via a series of actions.

The goal is to reduce littered and illegally dumped waste in Queensland through coordinated, evidence-based actions and collaboration.

The plan identifies how we, as Queenslanders, can work together to combat litter and illegal dumping by:

• building on work already underway
• from the results already achieved

providing a coordinated response to the issues. Many actions have been delivered to address this type of pollution in Queensland, including all the key actions in the plan. These actions include:

• the development of the Litter and Illegal Dumping Management Framework
• delivery of targeted grant programs to support local action
• increasing local council knowledge and capacity to deliver litter and illegal dumping compliance
• the development of the Love Queensland. Let’s keep it clean campaign, which provides a consistent message for use across various platforms.

Based on public feedback, the Litter and Illegal Dumping Online Reporting System has also been updated to make it more user-friendly for the public to report incidents to the department.

More information:

• Litter and illegal dumping
• Keeping Queensland Clean: The Litter and Illegal Dumping Plan
• Litter and Illegal Dumping Online Reporting System (LIDORS)
• Litter and Illegal Dumping Management Framework

Indigenous Carbon Industry Network

Overview

The Queensland Government funds the Indigenous Carbon Industry Network (ICIN) to develop and share resources, information and events that support First Nations participation in carbon farming.

ICIN is a peak body representing Indigenous-owned organisations delivering carbon farming projects across north Australia. In partnership with the Queensland Government and several other state and federal agencies, ICIN is delivering capacity-building and education projects aiming to achieve the following outcomes:

• Indigenous groups are supported to make informed decisions about carbon projects
• the Indigenous-led carbon industry is supported to grow, enabling more jobs and opportunities for Indigenous people
• Indigenous-owned carbon projects are recognised and promoted.

Outcomes

Since 2020, this work has included:

• development of an Indigenous Carbon Projects Guide
• delivery of training sessions and workshops for Traditional Owners
• funding for forums and events for Indigenous carbon practitioners
• development of a marketing and branding guide for Indigenous carbon projects.

Kickstarting the market grants program

The Queensland Government supported the Kickstarting the Market projects that built future participation in the Land Restoration Fund (LRF). These projects enable market growth for carbon and other ecosystem services. All Kickstarting the Market projects have been completed during 2020 to 2024.

Noteworthy projects involving First Nations communities and peoples include the following.

Kickstarting action in carbon, culture, ecology and economies in Cape York

Overview

This project developed a feasibility report and governance structure for an aggregated carbon project across 14 properties in the Normanby Catchment, which accounted for the cultural and biodiversity co-benefits of savanna burning.

Outcomes

• The project used spatial analysis to suggest areas where an aggregated carbon project with co-benefits in the Normanby Basin was worth further investigation.
• An aggregated savanna burning project would allow greater participation in carbon farming. However, the report concluded that the cost and feasibility of coordinating multiple entities pose a challenge.
• Engagement meetings and workshops were held to increase knowledge of carbon farming within the Indigenous land management groups in the Normanby Basin.
• Accredited fire training was also provided for the Rinyirru Aboriginal Corporation and Melsonby Rangers to enable them to undertake fire management activities, including cultural burning in Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land National Parks (CYPAL NP). This training will facilitate greater involvement of Indigenous rangers in fire management activities in future.

Strategic analysis of Cape York Peninsula fire patterns

Overview

The project involved a strategic analysis of Cape York Peninsula (CYP) fire patterns to increase carbon abatement through optimised regional-scale management.

Outcomes

• An analysis of the additional Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) that could be available through more effective fire management across CYP was conducted.
• The analysis included identifying locations with the greatest potential for emission reduction and areas where regional cooperation could make projects economical.
• An ACCU forecasting tool was developed to assess the benefits of existing and prospective savanna burning projects in CYP.
• Optimisation strategies were identified to increase ACCUs in two project areas:
• Merepah Station
• Wik Lands.
• A workshop was conducted to seek input on the analysis involving the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), APN, the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC), Natural Carbon and Balkanu.

Catalysing Action Grants program

The Catalysing Action Grants program supports on-the-ground projects that demonstrate the delivery of carbon abatement alongside measurable environmental, socio-economic and First Nations co-benefits.

Noteworthy projects involving indigenous communities and peoples include the following.

Murra Yambangku Carbon Project

Overview

The Murra Yambangku Carbon Project seeks to build the capacity of First Nations people to deliver carbon farming projects, mainly through human-induced vegetation regeneration.

The project:

• is delivered by the Yambangku Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Tourism Development Aboriginal Corporation (YACHATDAC), located in Central Western Queensland
• aims to demonstrate cultural, economic, social and environmental benefits on a grazing property in western Queensland in partnership with the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation.

Tradition meets innovation – Gidarjil Development Corporation Carbon Project Alliance

Overview

The Gidarjil Development Corporation delivers this project, which aims to trial a collective approach to carbon farming using traditional mosaic and fire-stick farming to regenerate native forests and control non-native species on three properties in the Burnett Mary Catchment.

This project is a partnership with the Burnett Mary Regional Group, NRM Regions Queensland, and the Central Queensland University.

Blue Heart Sunshine Coast Project

The Blue Heart Sunshine Coast Project is an innovative partnership between the Sunshine Coast Council, Unitywater and the department, operating under a Memorandum of Understanding.

The project aims to:

• manage the tidal transition as sea levels rise
• provide positive environmental, economic and community outcomes.

The Sunshine Coast Council partners with the Traditional Owners of the land, the Kabi Kabi people, to ensure that the project recognises and strengthens their knowledge, cultural connection and cultural values.

More information about the project is available in this case study: A new Blue Heart for the Sunshine Coast | State of the Environment Report 2024

Through the Low Carbon Accelerator program, the Queensland Government worked with entrepreneurs to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Outcomes

• The 2022-23 program brought industry and government together to support entrepreneurs and innovators in developing their low-carbon products and services for market readiness. The projects addressed decarbonisation challenges and supported progress towards Queensland’s emissions reduction targets.
• Over six months, the program worked with 22 companies delivering decarbonisation and low-carbon solutions for Queensland.

The Queensland Government is working with industry and the community to achieve a 50% renewable energy target by 2030 to reduce emissions, create new jobs and diversify the state’s economy. The Government is working to grow a sustainable industrial biotechnology and bioproducts sector and develop a sustainable hydrogen industry in Queensland.

More information:

• Powering Queensland Plan
• Affordable Energy Plan
• Clean Co Queensland
• Advance Queensland Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan
• Hydrogen Industry Development

In December 2015, Australia’s environment ministers established the National Clean Air Agreement (NCAA). The agreement seeks to ensure that the community continues to enjoy clean air and address the impacts on human health and the environment.

The agreement focuses on actions to reduce air pollution and improve air quality through cooperative action between industry and government at the national, state and local levels. The agreement is designed to incorporate a range of existing, new and complementary measures to improve Australia’s air quality.

In May 2021, the Senior Officials Group, comprising Commonwealth, State and Territory representatives, agreed on a 2021-2023 work plan outlining the roles, responsibilities, actions and timeframes for implementation. The work plan details the rolling program of activities to respond to air quality priorities including the following actions:

• improving standards for reporting and monitoring air pollution and ensuring national consistency of public air quality information, alerts programs and health advice.
• developing a nationally consistent Air Pollution Emissions Inventory.
• measuring and assessing motor vehicle emissions.
• building knowledge, education and awareness on how to respond to bushfire smoke, in response to recommendations made by the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.

The work plan is formally reviewed by the Environment Ministers every 2 years to ensure that actions under the NCAA is relevant and to maintain accountability for delivery.

More information:

• National Clean Air Agreement
• National Clean Air Agreement Work Plan 2021-23

The primary sources of air pollutants in Queensland are transport and industrial activities, although rural and domestic activities are also sources. Bushfires and hazard-reduction burning activities can also result in poor air quality.

The National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (Ambient Air Quality NEPM) establishes national protection goals for:

• sulfur dioxide
• nitrogen dioxide
• ozone
• carbon monoxide
• particles
• lead.

The Ambient Air Quality NEPM standards for ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide were amended in May 2021 to reflect the latest scientific understanding of the health risks associated with these pollutants.

Australian Design Rules (ADRs), under the Commonwealth’s Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018, set emission standards for new vehicles. Ongoing tightening of ADRs over the past 25 years has resulted in significant reductions in emissions of lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and particles.

The Commonwealth’s Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 sets national quality standards for various fuel quality properties to reduce emissions or improve engine performance. Reductions in aromatic hydrocarbons and sulfur in petrol from December 2025 will enable Australia to adopt Euro 6d noxious emissions standards for new light vehicles.

More information:

• National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure
• Australian Design Rules
• Fuel quality standards

The Queensland Government has allocated $61.77 million to the Natural Resource Investment Program (NRIP) over four years from 2018 to 2022 (NRIP). This program represents an extension of funding by the Queensland Government in regional natural resource management, building on the previous program - the Natural Resources Investment Program 2013–2018.

Administered by the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME), NRIP 2018–22 ensures that funding is invested into improving the quality of the state’s natural resources, specifically land, vegetation, water and the Great Barrier Reef.

NRIP 2018–2022 funding is being invested in Queensland’s regional arrangements, aiming to achieve measurable change in the management and condition of natural resources to build capacity in communities to deliver improved outcomes in the following four priority areas.

• Land: building stable and resilient landscapes.
• Water: achieving sustainable use and management of water.
• People and communities: facilitating effective regional management and stewardship.
• Science and knowledge: knowing the state of natural resource management assets and effectiveness of interventions.

Within these four priority areas, DNRME has allocated more than $43 million to over 30 NRIP projects that commenced between July 2018 and June 2020. These include specific Reef Water Quality and Paddock to Reef projects as well as projects focused on improving the condition of our natural resource assets. There are also numerous state-wide projects aimed at developing frameworks to produce natural resource indicators and the reporting of state-wide indicator data.

More information:

• Natural Resources Investment Program

The NWMP, some 375,000 square kilometres of North West Queensland encompassing towns such as Mount Isa, Cloncurry and Julia Creek, contains one of the world’s richest deposits of critical minerals that are essential components for the production of emerging technologies, such as electric vehicles, renewable energy products, storage and low-emission power sources.

Outcomes

The Queensland Government has delivered a range of actions through the Blueprint and Strategy Implementation Plan 2019-2021 to strengthen further the North West Queensland region and its communities.

The Queensland Government developed a support package for mine workers affected by the closure of Glencore’s Mount Isa Copper Operations and Lady Loretta Zinc Mine. The support package will include:

• Up to $30 million to accelerate development of resource projects in the North West Minerals Province.
• Up to $20 million to be matched dollar-for-dollar by Glencore for an economic structural adjustment package for Mount Isa and North West Queensland.

Plastics have become part of our everyday lives, providing many positive benefits to society. However, with increased population and consumption, the reliance on plastic has grown exponentially, particularly in convenience and single-use plastic products. Plastic pollution is a growing problem. When plastic ends up in the wrong place, it can negatively impact the health of our communities, our environment and wildlife.

Queensland’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Plan (Plastic Plan) was released on 7 November 2019 and sets the direction for Queensland’s participation in a national and global solution to plastic pollution. The Plastic Plan identifies and prioritises actions at every supply chain step to help reduce plastic waste and the amount of plastic in and entering the environment.

Actions within the Plastic Plan support a transition to a circular economy through avoidance and reuse behaviours. The Plastic Plan also looks for economic opportunities to create a plastic circular economy through investment in:

• plastic reprocessing
• remanufacturing
• market development
• new products as alternatives to plastic.

The Plan’s key outcomes to date

• A ban on single-use plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, unenclosed bowls, and expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway containers and EPS cups.
• Expanding the Plastic Free Places program across Queensland, broadening the scope to include the tourism and accommodation sector.
• Investment in research and innovation, including the Beyond Cups Innovation Challenge.
• A ban on cotton buds with plastic stems, plastic microbeads in rinseable personal care and cleaning products, loose-fill EPS packaging material, and introducing reusability standards and a requirement for recycled plastic content for heavyweight plastic shopping bags with a thickness of 35 microns or more.
• A ban on the release of lighter-than-air balloons.
• Establishment of the Solving Plastic Waste Co-operative Research Centre.

The report ‘Banned single-use plastic items: Review of Part 3A and 3AA Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011’ highlighted the effectiveness of the bans in:

• removing harmful plastics from the environment
• reducing the number of single-use lightweight plastic shopping bags supplied, used and littered.

The report also showed the success of educating the community on the harmful effects of single-use plastics.

More information:

• Tackling plastic waste
• Banned single-use plastic items: Review of Part 3A and 3AA Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011

The Queensland Organics Strategy 2022–2032 and Queensland Organics Action Plan 2022–2032 collectively provide the overarching framework and sequence of actions to:

• avoid the generation of food waste
• improve the end-use management of organic resources that can’t be avoided.

The Organics Strategy sets targets that by 2030, Queensland will:

• halve the amount of food waste generated
• divert 80% of the organic material generated from landfill
• achieve a minimum organics recycling rate of 70%.

Key outcomes to date

• Partnership with End Food Waste Australia to conduct food waste avoidance research.
• Development of a Horticulture Sector Action Plan.
• In 2024, the EcoMarines school education program was expanded across Queensland and delivered in 227 Queensland education institutions.
• Two rounds of a Food Rescue Grant Program to increase food rescue capacity were delivered.
• Launch of a $151M GROW FOGO Fund to support new council organic waste services.

More information:

• Queensland Organics Strategy 2022-2023
• Queensland Organics Action Plan 2022 - 2032

The statewide ambient air monitoring program provides baseline data to:

• assess Queensland’s air quality against relevant air quality standards or objectives
• meet state and Commonwealth legislative reporting obligations
• evaluate the effectiveness of management strategies to improve air quality
• inform the public of the state of Queensland’s air environment.

Since the severe 2019-2020 summer bushfires, the statewide ambient air monitoring network has expanded from 30 to 99 locations, providing communities with more locally relevant information to make informed decisions that protect their health during poor air quality episodes.

More information:

• Air reports and plans
• Air quality monitoring

The Queensland Government remains committed to reducing emissions and protecting our environment. Increasing the uptake of ZEVs will play an essential role in contributing to the Queensland Government's target of net zero emissions by 2050.

On 16 March 2022, the Queensland Government released Queensland's Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy 2022-2032 (ZEV Strategy) and Action Plan 2022-2024.

The ZEV Strategy

The ZEV Strategy sets a vision for a cleaner, greener, integrated transport and energy network that:

• encourages zero-emission transport solutions
• contributes to Queensland's net zero emissions target.

The ZEV Strategy sets clear targets to stimulate investment and provide consumer confidence to transition to Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) in Queensland. It includes:

• 50 per cent of new passenger vehicle sales to be ZEVs by 2030, with 200,000 light ZEVs by 2027
• 100 per cent of new passenger vehicle sales to be ZEVs by 2036
• 100 per cent of eligible QFleet passenger vehicles to be ZEVs by 2026
• Every new TransLink-funded bus added to the fleet to be a zero-emission bus
  • from 2025 in South East Queensland
  • from 2025-2030 across regional Queensland.

The ZEV Action Plan

The ZEV Action Plan 2022–2024 details the initiatives and actions that continue to shift Queenslanders to ZEVs while enjoying the benefits of an integrated energy and transport system.

ZEV Rebate Scheme

Under the ZEV Strategy, Queensland is investing $55 million to accelerate the shift to ZEVs, with $45 million allocated to a rebate scheme for the purchase of eligible new electric vehicles (EVs) and a $10 million charging infrastructure co-fund with industry, to provide further public EV fast-charging infrastructure across Queensland.

The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Rebate Scheme has significantly contributed to the increase in electric vehicles (EVs) in Queensland. Since the scheme's launch in July 2022, and with the enhancements made in 2023, the number of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) registered in Queensland has substantially risen.

• As of June 2024, 46,323 BEVs were registered in the state reached 46,323
• In January 2023, 16,731 were registered.
• This 36% growth reflects a strong upward trend in EV adoption, driven partly by the rebate scheme’s financial incentives.

EV charging sites

Additional public charging sites delivered under the co-fund will complement the existing Queensland Electric Super Highway (QESH) network, ensuring Queenslanders and tourists continue to have the confidence to access charging sites across more locations. To date, six of the planned 46 co-fund sites have been delivered at:

• Calliope/Miriam Vale
• Pimpama
• Rockhampton
• Bowen
• Beaudesert
• Hervey Bay.

The remaining sites will be delivered by the end of 2025.

More information:

• Zero Emission Vehicles Strategy
• Queensland's Electric Super Highway
• Queensland Zero Emission Vehicle Rebate Scheme
• Queensland’s Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Scheme

The annual recycling and waste in Queensland report presents data and trends for waste recovery, recycling and disposal in Queensland.

The report provides valuable insight about the state’s recycling and waste management activities, which all inform policy development and decision-makers in the waste and resource recovery industry, local government, and the Queensland Government.

• The report is informed by the Annual Waste Data Survey, which: captures data about waste generation, resource recovery, treatment and disposal provides a range of government and industry stakeholders statewide with access to high-quality, accurate waste data, while protecting survey respondent privacy and commercial confidentiality.

Such data is critical to stakeholder planning and decision-making at the micro and macro levels. It ensures better productivity, increases the likelihood of opportunities being identified and leveraged, and challenges managed.

The department prepares the report as part of its obligations under the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011.

More information:

• Recycling and waste in Queensland report

The Queensland Government’s emissions reductions initiatives to June 2024 included:

• requiring sustainability assessments for all capital works programs over $100 million as part of the State Infrastructure Plan
• delivering $2 billion in rebates and initiatives under the Affordable Energy Plan to help households and businesses reduce energy use and maintain energy affordability
• supporting innovation and growth and bringing new energy efficient products and services to Queensland as part of the $755 million Advance Queensland initiative
• Economic Development Queensland’s adoption of the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s EnviroDevelopment certification framework
• partnering with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland to deliver the ecoBiz program, which has helped Queensland businesses achieve an energy saving, on average, of 17 per cent since 2013 through access to personal coaching, training and tools to improve energy efficiency
• consolidating development policies in the State Planning Policy and ShapingSEQ Regional Plan, to encourage housing in well connected, accessible and well serviced areas
• implementing the Waste 2 Resource (W2R) Strategy, under TMR’s Environmental Sustainability Policy, to minimise waste and achieve a more sustainable use of resources across the department
• building active transport networks across the state that promote healthy lifestyles and reduce transport emissions
• through the Queensland Electric Super Highway project, supporting the construction of fast-charging stations at 54 locations to facilitate electrical vehicle use on major transport corridors
• delivering the Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy 2022-2032, setting targets for new passenger sales, Queensland Government fleet passenger vehicles, and new TransLink-funded buses to stimulate investment in the transition to zero emissions vehicles in Queensland.
• replacing obsolete road lights with high-performing Light Emitting Diode (LED) luminaires as well as Smart Light Control units
• managing climate risks to transport infrastructure through the Climate Change Risk Assessments for Infrastructure Projects
• Supporting collaborative research through the National Asset Centre of Excellence (NACOE) with the Australian Road Research Board, focusing on resilience and emission reduction for transport infrastructure.

Outcomes

• During the 2023-24 Financial Year, the ecoBiz program delivered a total of 12,077 tCO₂-e avoided emissions.
• Two million square metres of pavement has been recycled using hot-in-place asphalt recycling (HIPAR).
• The W2R Annual Report provides greater detail on how TMR manages waste. For example, the total waste generated in 2021-2022 was 685,309 tonnes, of which 85% was diverted (reused or recycled) and 15% was disposed to landfills.
• In 2022–23, the government replaced 6,288 obsolete road lights with high-performing Light Emitting Diode (LED) luminaires and installed 7,234 Smart Light Control units. More than 25,521 have been installed since delivery commenced in 2017.

The Queensland Resource Recovery Industries 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan is a framework to accelerate this transition and develop Queensland’s resource recovery industries.

In 2021, the Queensland Government announced a 10-year $2.1 billion waste and resource recovery package, including a $1.1 billion Recycling and Jobs Fund.

The waste and resource recovery package:

• supports infrastructure and non-infrastructure priorities, facilitating the recovery of more resources from waste
• enables the transition to the circular economy
• continues to ensure households are not directly impacted by the waste levy.

Outcomes

• Supporting developing and implementing 10 regional and four First Nations waste management plans. These plans provide a blueprint for improved waste management and resource recovery practices and support the transition to a circular economy.
• The Queensland Recycling Modernisation Fund, delivered in partnership with the Australian Government, funds projects that improve waste material sorting, processing, recycling and remanufacturing.
• The Regional and Remote Recycling Modernisation Fund, co-funded with the Australian Government, provided grants of up to $500,000 for local governments and their industry partners to improve the viability of waste sorting, processing, recycling or remanufacturing in regional Queensland.
• The Recycling Enterprise Precincts Guideline and Location Strategy have been published to increase economic opportunities and help facilitate industrial land growth.
• Since the launch of the roadmap in August 2019, 46 business and local government projects have received funding, diverting 1.41 million tonnes of waste annually from landfills, delivering an additional $255 million in capital investment and creating more than 468 jobs across Queensland

More information:

• Resource recovery
• Queensland Resource Recovery Industries 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan

The Land Restoration Fund (LRF) is growing the carbon farming industry in Queensland by supporting premium land sector carbon farming projects that deliver Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) plus priority environmental, socio-economic, and First Nations co-benefits.

The LRF has two purposes:

• invest in carbon farming projects that deliver additional co-benefits
• broaden the scope of carbon farming in Queensland with investments in research, development and innovation.

Across the first two investment rounds, the LRF has committed $82.1 million for 20 projects that deliver strong community and environmental outcomes. The outcomes expected as verified co-benefits from LRF investment in Queensland-based carbon projects include:

• delivery of more than 1.15 million ACCUs over the next
  16 years, equivalent to more than one million tonnes of carbon dioxide sequestered or avoided
• voluntary restoration or protection of over 13,000 hectares of unregulated (Category X) vegetation as defined under the Vegetation Management Act 1999
• direct benefits for threatened species and ecosystems
• direct benefits for the health of the Great Barrier Reef and wetlands.

The LRF has diversified its portfolio by investing $45 million to establish the Queensland Natural Capital Fund (QNCF). The fund aims to facilitate private sector co-investment in land asset acquisitions that generate returns from commercial agricultural activities and environmental markets while producing positive environmental, social and economic co-benefits for Queensland.

In addition, the LRF invests in research and innovation to grow the carbon market and other environmental markets that benefit Queensland’s environment. Examples of this investment include:

• supporting the uptake of blue carbon projects
• the development of new biodiversity credit mechanisms, such as the Cassowary Credit.

More information:

• Land Restoration Fund

Queensland’s Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy is a strategic framework to:

• reduce the amount of waste generated
• grow the resource recovery and recycling industry
• create new jobs
• transition to a circular economy.

The strategy’s implementation is underpinned by a waste disposal levy, which started on 1 July 2019. The levy aims to:

• reduce the amount of waste going to landfill
• encourage waste avoidance
• provide a source of funding to enable better resource recovery practices
• provide certainty and security of feedstocks for advanced technology
• facilitate industry investment in resource recovery infrastructure.

The levy zone includes 39 of 77 local government areas, covering 90% of Queensland’s population, where the majority of waste is generated and disposed. Waste disposed of in the levy zone or waste that originates in the levy zone or interstate and is disposed of in the non-levy zone is liable for the levy.

Of the levy received, 70% is pledged to re-investment in achieving the waste strategy targets.  The re-investment initiatives include supporting councils, scheme start-up and operational costs, industry programs and other environmental priorities.

More information:

• Waste disposal levy

The Queensland Government released the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy (Waste Strategy) on 1 July 2019. The department has been tasked with updating the Waste Strategy to ensure that it remains fit for purpose.

It provides for Queensland’s transition to a zero-waste society, where waste is avoided, reused, and recycled to the greatest possible extent.

The strategy:

• focuses on deliver coordinated, long-term and sustained growth for the recycling and resource recovery sector
• promotes more sustainable practices for businesses, industries and households to help reduce the amount of waste produced and disposed
• will help to retain the value of material in the economy for as long as possible

The strategy sets the following ambitious stretch targets for 2050:

• 25% reduction in household waste
• 90% of waste recovered (diverted from landfill)
• 75% recycling rates across all waste types.

Providing an incentive to recover and recycle materials will help protect the natural environment and conserve natural resources that would otherwise require the input of virgin materials to manufacture new products.

Outcomes

In 2023, a statutory review of the strategy was undertaken, with the review report identifying that Queensland was on track to meet five of the nine 2025 interim targets based on the 2022-2023 data.

However, further analysis of the 2023-2024 data indicates that Queensland is on track to only achieve four of the nine interim targets:

• the construction and demolition waste targets have already been exceeded
• good progress is being made for commercial and industrial waste
• considerable work is required to achieve the municipal solid (household) waste recovery and diversion targets.

Reduction in household waste generation (% reduction from 2017-18 baseline)

Landfill diversion rate (amount diverted as percentage of total waste generated)

*Accelerated progress would be needed to meet target

Recycling rate (amount recycled as percentage of total waste generated)

Definitions:

• Municipal solid waste includes domestic waste and other wastes arising from
  council activities such as the collection of waste from roads, parks and public
  places, beaches, waterways, street sweeping, and the collection of litter and
  illegally dumped waste.
• Commercial and industrial waste includes scrap metal, paper and packaging
  materials, sawmill residues and green waste.
• Construction and demolition waste includes concrete, scrap met al, asphalt, and masonry.

Progress against the targets is published in the final review report of the strategy. Key findings for the 2023-24 Recycling and waste in Queensland report is published on the department’s website in December each year, providing access to open data.

More information:

• Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy
• Recycling and waste in Queensland report
• Final Review report 2024 - Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy