The Climate Change Authority has started work on the first review of Australia’s emissions caps (the “Caps and Target Review”). The Authority will assess Australia’s progress toward its medium and long term emission reduction goals, and examine the appropriate level of ambition for Australia’s next steps to reduce emissions. At the conclusion of the review, the Authority will recommend a national emission reduction target for 2020, and an indicative pathway and budget for national emissions over time to the Government.

Anthea Harris is Chief Executive Officer of the Climate Change Authority. Prior to her appointent she was Chief Adviser in the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, where she played a leading role in the development of the Australian Government’s carbon pricing mechanism, and the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. She has also led the Secretariat for states and territories National Emissions Trading Taskforce and held positions with the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Productivity Commission. Ms Harris will provide an overview of the Caps and Targets Review, including the main issues the Authority plans to consider in developing recommendations and findings.

Will McGoldrick is the Climate Change Policy Manager at WWF-Australia. He has previously worked for The Climate Institute and for the Government of Samoa. Will has two young kids and believes they deserve a safe climate in which to grow. Mr McGoldrick will discuss the case for moving to a stronger 2020 target.

Steve Hatfield-Dodds leads CSIRO’s National Outlook project. Earlier he was a member of the senior leadership team in the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, where his responsibilities included support for the national emissions target. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Crawford School. Steve will provide perspectives on other ways for Australia to strengthen its mitigation effort.

This seminar is presented by the Centre for Climate Economics and Policy at Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University.