Climate conferences are extreme rollercoaster events.
There are the grim forecasts: from Dr Pep Canadell (a Chief Research Scientist in CSIRO Environment) a reminder that even if we stabilise global temperature rise at or below 2°C, sea levels will continue to rise to a devastating average of 2m of rise by 2300.
But then there is hope: it’s encouraging and inspiring that hundreds of industry leaders have prioritised a two-day conference to share their experiences and ideas on creating resilience and reducing emissions.
So here are seven takeaways.
1. Decoupling emissions from growth is both essential and possible. Between 2005 and 2025 South Australia’s emissions have gone down by 50% whilst Gross State Product has risen 40%. (Source: Premier Peter Malinauskas).
2. Given the right policy settings and bipartisan support, change can come so fast that it makes the most optimistic pundits blush. South Australia has transformed from 1% renewable electricity generation in 2007 to 74% in 2023, and is on target for 100% by 2027.
3. The Whyalla Steelworks is SA’s biggest emitter by far. So the pathway to green iron production is critically important. It’s not just a mitigation priority, but also an enormous opportunity.
4. The AASB S2 came into effect in January 2025 and 1,800 large companies will have to make climate-related disclosures. Companies that thrive will be those that lean into the climate risk and use it as an opportunity.
5. You don’t have to buy EV trucking to do low-emissions deliveries. Learn from IKEA. They’re on target for 90% of Australian “last-mile” deliveries by EV. They use 3 trucking companies who already have fleets of electric delivery trucks: ANC Delivers, Kings Transport and All Purpose Transport. Installing charging infrastructure for the delivery trucks for overnight and top-up charging is an important component that other major retailers should consider.
6. Awards such as the World City Prize are important. Celebrating success can spur us all on to greater ambition in greening our cities, at the same time as we learn from innovative solutions around the globe.
7. We’d better get on with it. As Dr Pep Canadell explains, the global carbon budget for stabilising at 1.5°C temperature rise will be consumed in about 10 years, and about 30 years for a 2°C temperature rise.
Thanks to the Government of South Australia for hosting the 2025 SA Industry Climate Change Conference.
Never underestimate the power of a conference. Visionary architect Dr Paul Downton writes that the history of Urban Ecology Australia can be traced back to the national Greenhouse ‘88 conference, and hence to the building of the model eco-village, Christie Walk.
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