Accelerating towards a net zero future

In late 2023, Transport for NSW (Transport) unveiled its Net Zero and Climate Change policy. This historic framework is designed to steer the entire NSW transport sector towards a net zero future.

The transport sector is the fastest-growing source of emissions in Australia, accounting for around 20 per cent of NSW’s greenhouse gas emissions. To combat this, the policy outlines targets for progressive decarbonisation within Transport for NSW and the broader transport sector.

The key targets in the policy include:

• achieving 100 per cent renewable energy for the electricity used by rail, light rail, and metro networks by 2025 (with 98 per cent already achieved)
• transitioning the entire fleet of Transport’s work vehicles to electric by 2030
• reaching net-zero emissions across the transport sector by 2050
• expanding our vision by aiming for net negative emissions within the sector by 2060.

The policy aligns with the NSW Net Zero Plan, The Paris Agreement, and the NSW Climate Change Adaption Strategy, ensuring that our efforts synchronise with the NSW Government’s broader commitments to a net zero future.

Additionally, Transport will collaborate with National Highways, a global leader in decarbonising transport infrastructure in the UK. This partnership aims to incorporate leading global practices to tackle challenges and achieve the ambitious environmental goals outlined by the policy. We will also be guided by the Decarbonising Infrastructure Delivery Roadmap that we’ve developed with Infrastructure NSW, to help us engage industry partners to co-design, trial and implement best practice across NSW Government projects.

To support policy implementation, Transport will conduct consultation with stakeholders across the industry to develop a broader roadmap for net zero emissions and circular economy. This will guide our stakeholders in establishing their approaches and to facilitate a coordinated industry-wide response towards a net zero future in NSW.