Climate Integrity Summit 2023

Bringing together leading experts to discuss and address integrity risks that could jeopardise Australia's emissions reduction policies.
Australian Parliament House - Theatre

Will Australia’s climate targets have integrity? Are we set for a green investment boom or greenwash?

The Australia Institute’s Climate Integrity Summit 2023 featured leading experts in economics, ecology, policy and governance, along with key parliamentarians and journalists, discussing the ethics, economics and risks of fraudulent net-zero claims, overreliance on carbon offsets and policy that serves the fossil fuel industry rather than the climate.

We need to ensure Australia’s emissions reduction policies can and do legitimately reduce emissions.

Speeches and Panel Recordings

Opening Remarks | Dr Richard Denniss

“There’s probably no greater test of our integrity as individuals, or as communities, than climate action.”

Video | Transcript


The dangers of overreliance on carbon offsets | Dr Bill Hare

“Australia had developed a reputation for questionable integrity, one which the Albanese Government has well and truly begun to put behind us. However, the government’s proposed approach to offsetting under the Safeguard Mechanism risks winding this situation back.”

Transcript | Video

Dr Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, delivers the keynote at the Climate Integrity Summit.

What is Climate Integrity? | Polly Hemming

“Australia’s biggest polluters have set net zero targets while telling shareholders their fossil fuel production is increasing. We have been given the exhausting and impossible task of deciphering whether the claims made by industry, banks and governments are consistent with their actions. Climate integrity is the antidote to Australia’s state-sponsored greenwash.”

Transcript | Video

Polly Hemming, Climate & Energy Program Director at the Australia Institute, delivers her speech to the Climate Integrity Summit.

Climate integrity as a function of democratic integrity | Panel discussion 

Featuring:

  • The Hon Anthony Whealy KC, Former Judge of the NSW Court of Appeal, Chair of the National Integrity Committee
  • Dr Monique Ryan MP, Independent Member for Kooyong
  • Kieran Pender, Senior Lawyer, Human Rights Law Centre

Video | Transcript


Who pays the price for Australia’s greenwashing? | Panel discussion

Featuring:

  • Dr Sophie Scamps MP, Independent Member for Mackellar
  • Stephen Long, Senior Reporter Investigations, Business Reporting Team, ABC
  • Pamela Avusi, Program Coordinator, Forcert Ltd

Video | Transcript


Rinsing the greenwash out of Australian politics | Senator Sarah Hanson-Young

“When Australians cast their votes, they put their trust in politics. They want to believe that the parliament they elected will act on the issues they care about. When people in this place do not act on these issues with integrity, it puts this trust at risk.”

Video | Transcript

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Australian Greens Spokesperson for the Environment & Biodiversity, at the Climate Integrity Summit.

What does climate integrity look like in practice? | Panel discussion

Featuring:

  • Professor Allan Fels AO, Former Chair, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
  • Professor Andrew Macintosh, Environmental law and policy expert at the College of Law, Australian National University
  • Kylie Charlton, Managing Director, Australian Impact Investments

Video | Transcript


What does climate integrity look like in practice? | Professor Allan Fels AO

“Greenwashing claims abound these days,” says Allan Fels. But who is responsible for checking them for integrity?

Video | Transcript

Prof Allan Fels AO, Former Chair of the ACCC

Australia must lead the world on climate integrity | Senator David Pocock

“People are looking to politicians for leadership. People are looking to politicians for more ambition. We must make the case for bolder action – bolder action for Australians today and bolder action for future generations.”

Video | Transcript

Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock at the Climate Integrity Summit.

CLIMATE INTEGRITY SUMMIT 2023 – PROGRAM

Speakers included:

  • The Hon Anthony Whealy KC, Former judge of the NSW Court of Appeal
  • Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Australian Greens Spokesperson for the Environment & Biodiversity
  • Senator David Pocock, independent Senator for the ACT
  • Dr Sophie Scamps MP, independent Member for Mackellar
  • Dr Monique Ryan MP – Federal Member for Kooyong
  • Professor Allan Fels, Former Chair, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
  • Professor Andrew Macintosh, environmental law and policy expert at ANU College of Law
  • Dr Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics and member of UN High-Level Expert Group on the Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities
  • Polly Hemming, Senior Researcher and Acting Climate & Energy Program Director, The Australia Institute
  • Kieran Pender, Senior Lawyer, Human Rights Law Centre
  • Karrina Nolan, CEO, Original Power
  • Pamela Avusi, Program Coordinator at Forcert, an NGO based in Papua New Guinea (PNG)
  • Kylie Charlton, Managing Director, Australian Impact Investments
  • Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director, the Australia Institute

We must have zero tolerance for net-zero greenwashing…Government or private sector commitments to net-zero cannot be a mere public relations exercise

UN Secretary-General António Guterres

When


(ended on )

Where

Australian Parliament House - Theatre
Parliament Drive
Canberra, ACT 2600

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