Background

Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) is an independent think-tank working on net-zero pathways for Australia, highlighting pathways that show how the green transition benefits the economy. The Climate Transformation Fund provides core support to BZE to strengthen its organizational capacity, research and advocacy work.

Australia is a highly fossil fuel dependent country, and BZE is one of the few organizations demonstrating a track record in bringing about real change. Our support helps them expand their work and increase the chance that well-crafted policy proposals win support. BZE is also one of Giving Green's top recommendations for climate advocacy organizations to support. They have been successful in the past, including implementing strategies to reduce emissions and getting investments in renewable energy.

Progress

BZE has made significant progress in its strategic plan for 2021-24, focusing on four key pillars: ambitious research, influential engagement, compelling communications, and a healthy organization. In terms of research, BZE has published two notable reports in the past year.

The Deploy report, released in October 2022, highlighted the potential for an 81% reduction in emissions by 2030 through the rapid deployment of six cleantech products. This report gained support from 50 companies with a combined annual revenue of $51 billion, reinforcing the call for clean energy technology adoption. Additionally, the National Supergrid report, released in February, demonstrated the benefits of fast-tracked investment in Australia's grid, including significant energy savings for households and infrastructure for a $333 billion green export opportunity. This research informed BZE's contributions to the 2023 Federal Budget and parliamentary inquiries.

BZE has worked to elevate the quality of the emissions reduction debate in Australia. Notably, the organization sponsored the Hunter Innovation Festival. This initiative connected regional and federal political leaders with clean tech manufacturers, contributing to the shift toward a cleaner economy. BZE's engagement efforts also extended to the global stage, as they were approached by the Commonwealth Government to showcase Australian cleantech manufacturers at COP27 in Egypt, bolstering the reputation of Australian cleantech on the international stage.

In addition to research and engagement, the organization has effectively communicated its findings, securing strong media coverage and making a substantial impact in their target audience. These efforts position BZE as a thought leader and advocate for a greener future in Australia. CTF’s contribution as core funding has enabled BZE to hire staff and engaged technical consultants to provide targeted skills to deliver both high quality research and undertake advocacy and broader community engagement, as well as to undertake a cross-organisational collaboration with other think tanks.

Looking ahead, BZE plans to continue its engagement efforts through the Cleantech Hub focus in 2023-24, supporting their work will maintain a critical momentum in pressuring the Australian government to implement more ambitious climate policies.