This review considers the pathways for six sectors – agriculture and land; built environment; electricity and energy; industry and waste; transport and resources – to decarbonise. It identifies barriers and proposes strategies and actions to address them.  The report cautions against a net zero approach that relies on future development and argues that working to reduce emissions now, using existing technologies, is more efficient and effective than waiting for breakthrough technologies to appear. 

The best pathways to decarbonisation are those that combine the acceleration of of existing zero and low emissions technologies (such as solar and wind for electricity generation and batteries for energy storage) with the rapid development and commercialisation of emerging technologies, such as hydrogen and engineered carbon removals. 

For each of the six sectors discussed, the report identifies the range of emissions reductions achievable through available and prospective technologies and examines the specific barriers, opportunities and enablers that apply. In addition, the review proposes six high level strategies to be applied at the national level and incorporated into the Net Zero Plan. 

Six strategies

1. Overcome the ‘green premium’ through policy interventions
2. Accelerate the deployment of net zero infrastructure 
3. Strengthen the foundations for social license and a just transition
4. Think global, act local
5. Rapidly address workforce shortages, and
6. Address information and data gaps

This review will inform the Australian Government’s Net Zero Plan.