Acknowledgement of Country and welcome to the 2020 EV Vision conference by AEVA president, Chris Nash.

Victoria has one the most ambitious climate and energy policy frameworks in the world. The state's legislated 2050 net-zero emissions target is supported by renewable energy targets of 25% by 2020, 40% by 2025 and 50% by 2030.

 

The transport sector is responsible for about 20 percent of Victoria's emissions, with road transport accounting for the bulk of that figure. It is also one of the few sectors that has seen an increase in emissions as population and economic growth result in more vehicles on the road. The uptake of electric vehicles will therefore play a vital role in achieving Victoria's 2050 net-zero target.

 

The Minister will outline the actions that the Victorian Government is taking to prepare the ground for the electric vehicle revolution, and explain the role that the transport sector will play in Victoria's energy transition. 

The climate emergency is now entering a crucial phase. Unless global emissions can be reduced 8% per year out to 2030, there is a high probability of reaching climatic tipping points that will see an unstoppable slide to climate catastrophe. The Australian government’s response to the Covid pandemic lays out a clear and viable response that could be applied to tackling the climate emergency. It involves 3 actions – reducing emissions, ensuring that we have sufficient capacity to cope with the unavoidable climatic deterioration, and seeking the equivalent of a vaccine, by getting CO2 out of the atmosphere.  Globally, transport is responsible for around 40% of emissions. Electrification, the use of hydrogen and e-fuels will all be important as the sector transitions to zero emissions. Electric vehicles have a hugely important role to play in both public and private transport. An overview of clean energy in transport will be given.

Beyhad Jafari from the Electric Vehicle Council on the recent SA, Vic and NSW proposals for taxing EVs.