Early Movers Are Winning -- Now Business Wants Government to Keep Up
Better Futures Australia
30 July 2025
From electrifying freight fleets to phasing out gas in new buildings, installing solar by the hectare, and investing billions into net zero supply chains — Australia’s early movers are already winning in the clean economy.
At a closed-door roundtable today in Canberra, some of the country’s most ambitious companies came together to deliver a message to government: business is not waiting — but it needs policy certainty to go faster and scale harder.
“Climate action is fundamental to creating a thriving economy,” said Brooke Sprott, Unilever ANZ. “Setting an ambitious, science-aligned 2035 target will give business the certainty it needs to catalyse investment.”
Mirja Viinanen, IKEA Australia and New Zealand, added: “We have 30,000 solar panels on our rooftops and are moving toward 70% zero-emissions deliveries. We know bold targets drive momentum — and with the right policy signals, we can unlock more private capital to scale.”
The roundtable coincided with the release of a new report from Better Futures Australia and the We Mean Business Coalition, titled: Australia’s 2035 NDC: A Robust Climate Target for Economic Certainty and Global Credibility.
It calls for a 75–85% emissions reduction by 2035 — a target that reflects both climate science and the pace of business-led decarbonisation already underway. It also outlines the policy signals needed to unlock investment across infrastructure, manufacturing, property, transport and finance.
“We don’t have to choose between climate science and economics,” said Rebecca Mikula-Wright, CEO of the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC).
“The capital is already moving — the government just needs to lead.”
Executives from IKEA, Unilever, Intrepid Travel, Lendlease, Fortescue, Indigenous Energy Australia, and others shared real-world examples of transition in motion — from near-term net zero targets to clean steel supply chains, electric construction equipment, and climate-positive product design.
Fortescue flagged key barriers still holding industry back: “Diesel fuel tax credits and unlimited offsets are distorting the playing field. It’s time to stop incentivising fossil fuels and start rewarding decarbonisation.”
Tommy Hicks, Indigenous Energy Australia, stressed the importance of community-led outcomes: “When we talk about sustainability and decarbonisation, we’re talking about culture. A just transition means delivering benefits defined by communities — not just counted in tonnes.”
The message was united: Australia’s clean economy is already being built. Now government must deliver a 2035 target that sends the right signals and backs business to deliver.
ENDS
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