2022 a Year for Climate Action

I wrote the 2020 end-of-year thought piece, looking to 2021 as a year of hope after the forced slow down in 2020. So, reflecting on 21 and looking to 22, did 2021 bring us hope?

For most, given the pandemic is still disrupting previous ways of life, and there’s still politicians who think the world is flat, I’d say that hope may have been tested.

Even the Hollywood movies have forgone the positive endings of clear skies in ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ and instead wiped out humanity for its inaction with a comet in DiCaprio’s ‘Don’t Look Up’.

However, I’m an eternal optimist and there is always hope and a silver lining:

• We’re in the midst of a pandemic but thankfully modern medicine has brought us vaccines and tests.
• The pandemic instigated lockdowns have put extreme pressure on our mental health and increased the social divide; but workplaces have become more flexible and responsible to workers needs and using business as a force for good  – (consider the growth in the B Corp movement).
• Australia is lagging behind the world with respect to electric vehicle (EV) growth, but state and local governments have committed millions of dollars to support public charging stations being rolled out and to support EV uptake.
• While we have no federal leadership on emissions reductions – states and local governments have been setting climate adaptation plans and targets and working towards them, and businesses of all sizes are going net zero or carbon neutral and putting in place short- and long-term strategies to decarbonise.

2021 was a Transition Year

For me personally, 2021 was a big transition year – I had a baby, which has meant that not only have I had to swap out my lockdown hobby of restaurant experience culinary masterpieces, for shovelling down cold Youfoodz with one hand, but I now have someone else’s eyes to see the world through.

2050 is no longer a far-off number after which humanity lives or dies, where I take solace in knowing I tried, but concede to having had a good life and accept the comet as what we deserve. In 2050, my daughter will still be in her 20s with her whole life in front of her and given she’s already shown a strong interest in smashed avo she could still be living at home.  

We Need to Take Climate Action Now

2030 will be here before we know it and if measures aren’t put in place rapidly, it will be tough going to meet those 2030 targets. Like I mentioned in the last piece, Garnaut’s urgency in 2008 about 2020 targets (which weren’t met) doesn’t seem that long ago. And for example, going back to the EV theme, Aussies keep their cars for an average of 10 years so today’s purchases will still be in the fleet for years to come when we are trying to meet those near-term targets.

Add to that there are tipping points we can’t go past. We don’t exactly know when these will occur, but we know they will cause catastrophic and irreversible change – think the Greenland ice sheet and melting permafrost.

So what does this all mean? We need to be taking climate action NOW. On a personal level of course, but also in the corporate world where big changes will mean a bigger difference.

This includes:

1. GHG inventory’s done
2. Decarbonisation targets set
3. Emission reduction opportunities identified and implemented
4. Meeting short-term targets and continually looking to improve and accelerate

Now is the time to take genuine action and for organisations and governments to build emissions reduction plans to commit to and meet their targets.

Or – risk being left behind.

So What Will 2022 Bring?

Already in 2022 government grant money is rolling in:

1. The Victorian Government has issued $7M in renewable hydrogen grants to unlock over $36M investment in capital works to produce deploy renewable hydrogen.
2. The federal and Victorian Government have awarded $6M to unlock $50M For PET plastic recycling facility in Altona, Melbourne.
3. The federal government is offering energy audit and energy efficiency grants of up to $25,000 to small and medium sized food and beverage companies. Applications close February 18.
4. The federal and NSW governments are offering a new $13.5 million round of recycling infrastructure grants – comprising an infrastructure stream and a trials stream. Applications close March 11.
5. The Clean Energy Regulator will be piloting a scheme for large emitters to disclose progress towards targets through NGERs reporting.
6. Renewable energy penetration continues to rise, and the Australian Energy Market Operator has said renewables will meet 100% of consumer demand for electricity at certain times of the day by 2025 if large-scale wind and solar development continues at current rates.

1-4 Information from Footprint Magazine

2022 is the Year for Action

Don’t put off for tomorrow what can be done today. Protect tomorrow, take action today.

And on the way let’s take with us the learnings from the great pause: Value and appreciate time with loved ones. Use business as a force for good and join the change. (Don’t be a Nokia and become obsolete.)

About Us

As an Australian business founded in 2010, over the last decade we’ve helped hundreds of clients play a part in the transition to a decarbonised and more sustainable future and we practice what we preach.

We’re certified carbon neutral (Climate Active) since 2017, are B Corp Certified since 2017, committed to a science-based target in 2020 and are submitting our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2022.

If you would like guidance or advice on exploring emissions reduction or climate change and sustainability strategies for your business, please get in touch, our experts would love to help.  Contact our team by email or, give us a Call +61 3 7035 1740.