Today, CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, launched a new research mission to help Australia’s regions and hard-to-abate industries move towards a low-emissions economy.

• CSIRO’s Towards Net Zero Mission will invest $90 million initially to help make this goal a reality.

A consortium of companies, universities, and government agencies are joining forces to create a new initiative that will help Australia’s most difficult-to-abate sectors – including steel and agriculture – reducing their emissions by half before 2035.

CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall announcing the mission today says solving global issues using new technology is part of the process of transitioning these industries,

“The real innovation lies in turning that problem into economic growth by establishing national capability and reimagining how we live and work.”

“Our hard to abate industries like resources and agriculture are critical Australian advantages and are deeply embedded into the fabric of our regions – regions that our country is built on.”

“So, our Mission must be co-developed not just with those in the hard to abate industries, but also in partnership with their communities to understand the impacts and opportunities arising from new science-enabled technologies and ways of doing business.”

“The transformation of these hard to abate industries and regions is critical to our nation’s future prosperity, and Australian science will ensure no one gets left behind in this enormous transition.”

“Every Australian is part of the journey to net zero.” says Dr Marshal

Australia’s net zero ambitions can be achieved by addressing the problems in our areas, and the Towards Net Zero Mission will help:

• Identify what is required to develop new low emissions steel and iron ore processes;
  
• Identify what is required to develop sustainable aviation fuel to support our aviation sector;
  
• Support a profitable and sustainable agriculture industry in a low emissions world;
  
• Help regions navigate the transition to net zero through new collaborations, analysis, and support; and
  
• Expand Australia’s carbon offset capacity by using and scaling negative emission technologies such as carbon sequestration.

The Towards Net Zero Mission Lead, Dr Michael Battaglia says industries across Australia are beginning to transform themselves, setting goals and testing technology in order to achieve net zero emissions.

“We must create paths for these technologies to be broadly adopted that support prosperity and benefit the environment and society in order to achieve net zero.” says Battagila

The Towards Net Zero Mission brings together CSIRO with government partners and collaborators including:

• Climate Change Authority
• Department of Climate Change, Energy
• Environment and Water
• Department of Industry, Science and Resources
• Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Along with industry partners and collaborators:

• BHP
• Boeing
• Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC)
• Climate-Kic
• ClimateWorks
• Incitec Pivot
• KPMG Australia
• Meat & Livestock Australia
• Qantas

Other partners and collaborators include a number of universities and research organisations including Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre.

Mr Salvo Vitelli, General Manager, Agriculture Policy, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries says Agriculture and its supply chains will play a critical role in Queensland’s decarbonisation.

“CSIRO has provided independent analysis to guide our vision and policy response for the sector, as evidenced in the draft Low Emissions Agriculture Roadmap released for public consultation in June.”

“The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is eager to collaborate with the Towards Net Zero Mission and other key research programmes in order to help the agribusiness sector benefit from low-emissions economic opportunities.” says Mr Vitelli.

Mr Brad Archer, Climate Change Authority Chief Executive Officer said we are excited to be collaborating with the Towards Net Zero Mission on an upcoming report to better understand Australia’s carbon sequestration potential.

“Choices about our net zero emissions pathways can be informed by rigorous, science-based evidence, if we choose to create it.” said Mr Archer.