Federal Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King has delivered a speech to Parliament about Australia’s pathway to lowering emissions.
King described the road of Australia reaching net-zero by 2050 as running through the resources sector.
King said the nation’s resources and minerals will be essential to build a decarbonised economy.
“Minerals like lithium, vanadium, silicon and rare earths are essential in making clean energy technologies such as batteries, solar panels and electric vehicles,” King said.
“Our traditional minerals such as iron ore and bauxite– as inputs to steel and aluminium – will also be integral. Steel in particular will play a key role in all renewables.”
King said the country’s resource projects were already leading globally in implementing renewables.
“While it is up to companies to make the investments needed to take these technologies forward, the Government will also play a role,” King said.
“Through the Safeguard Mechanism reforms, we are providing the resources sector with the certainty it needs to invest in technologies and decarbonise its operations.”
King said the Federal Government has engaged with numerous industries, communities and experts about Australia heading in a renewable direction.
“The common message is that bold, decisive and focused action will be needed. This means driving mineral exploration to open new geological frontiers and develop a pipeline of new mining projects,” King said.
In addition, King said a skilled workforce in the resources sector is needed to drive this change.
“We won’t reach net-zero without our resources sector, but equally it will be impossible without this highly skilled workforce of the future,” King said.
King said she would soon release a 2023 version of the Critical Minerals Strategy, which is designed to help grow the sector and reflect on the important role critical minerals can play in driving Australia to net-zero.