While emissions have decreased in some sectors, there needs to be more action if Australia is to meet its Paris Climate Agreement obligations.11 For example, Australia's passenger vehicle emissions and efficiency standards are not keeping up with global best practice.
Infrastructure assets and services are emissions intensive.12 There needs to be more recognition of the important role infrastructure and services will play in helping governments meet their emissions reduction targets.
" There needs to be more effort to better implement sustainability and resilience in infrastructure design, operation and maintenance. "
Comprehensively tackling light vehicle emissions, introducing electric vehicles at the right scale and time and changing social infrastructure procurement standards are three cost-effective examples of what could be done. Embedding the quadruple bottom line (economic, environmental, social and governance outcomes) into decision-making will help to identify broader sustainability and emissions reductions investment and reform in the best long-term interests of users and taxpayers.