Climate Emergency Declaration 2020

# Climate Emergency Declaration Bill 2020 ## What it does This bill formally declares that Australia is facing a climate emergency and requires all federal government agencies to take this seriously in their operations and planning. It would also set up a multi-party committee to coordinate climate action across parliament. ## Why it matters Declaring a climate emergency is symbolic but carries real weight—it signals that government agencies must treat climate change as an urgent priority rather than a side issue. This could influence how agencies spend money, plan infrastructure, and set priorities. ## Key details - **Who it affects**: All Australian Public Service agencies (the federal government departments and bodies that employ public servants) - **What agencies must do**: The bill requires them to report on climate emergency-related activities in their annual reports, though the exact details would be decided later through rules - **When it starts**: The day after parliament passes and approves it (Royal Assent) - **The committee**: A Multi-Party Climate Emergency Committee would be established—this suggests MPs from different parties would work together on climate policy, though the bill text here doesn't detail how it would work **Note**: This bill was introduced in 2020 but the excerpt cuts off before showing the full obligations section, so some details about what agencies actually must *do* aren't shown here.

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament