The Minister for Climate Change and Energy is a portfolio in the

Government of Australia The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Governmen ...

. The current Minister is

Chris Bowen Christopher Eyles Guy Bowen (born 17 January 1973) is an Australian politician who has been Minister for Climate Change and Energy in the Albanese government since June 2022. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and was first elec ...

. The minister administers his or her portfolios through the

Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is a department of the Australian Government. The department was established on 1 July 2022, superseding the water and environment functions from the Department of Agri ...

(established on 1 July 2022.). The portfolio is a federal ministerial portfolio responsible for the coordination and implementation of

sustainable energy Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Most definitions of sustainable energy include considerations of environmental aspects such as green ...

policies by the Australian Government. These policy areas include the mitigation of

greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and ...

, the promotion of energy efficiency, as well as adaptations to

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

within domestic and international contexts. The post was first held by

Rex Connor Reginald Francis Xavier "Rex" Connor (26 January 190722 August 1977) was an Australian politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1963 to his death, representing the Labor Party. He was the Minister for Minerals ...

in 1972 as Minister for Minerals and Energy.

History

The precursor to the department was led by

Secretary A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a ...

Blair Comley Blair Robert Comley is an economist. He is a former Secretary of the New South Wales Government Department of Premier and Cabinet, replaced by a new Secretary upon the election of the then Premier of NSW, The Hon Gladys Berejiklian. Life and ...

who reported to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency,

Greg Combet Gregory Ivan Combet (; born 28 April 1958) is a former Australian politician and trade unionist. He was Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions between 1999 and 2007. He was elected member for the New South Wales Federal seat of Ch ...

. The Minister was assisted by the Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency,

Mark Dreyfus Mark Alfred Dreyfus (born 3 October 1956) is an Australian politician and lawyer who has been attorney-general of Australia and cabinet secretary since June 2022, having held both roles previously in 2013 and from 2010 to 2013 respectively. ...

. The Clean Energy Regulator was an associated

statutory authority A statutory body or statutory authority is a body set up by law (statute) that is authorised to implement certain legislation on behalf of the relevant country or state, sometimes by being empowered or delegated to set rules (for example re ...

formed on 2 April 2012. On 25 March 2013, the responsibility for Climate Change policy passed to the newly formed

Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education The Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICSRTE) was a department of the Australian Government charged with further developing growth in Australian industries and advancements in science ...

, and the duties of the

Ministry of Energy A Ministry of Energy or Department of Energy is a government department in some countries that typically oversees the production of fuel and electricity; in the United States, however, it manages nuclear weapons development and conducts energy-relat ...

passed to the

Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism was an Australian Government department. It was formed in December 2007 and dissolved on 18 September 2013. The majority of its functions were assumed by the Department of Industry; with the excep ...

. Following the

2013 Australian federal election The 2013 Australian federal election to elect the members of the 44th Parliament of Australia took place on 7 September 2013. The centre-right Liberal/National Coalition opposition led by Opposition leader Tony Abbott of the Liberal Party of A ...

the responsibility for energy was shifted to the

Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science The Minister for Industry and Science is an Australian Government cabinet position which is currently held by Ed Husic in the Albanese ministry since 1 June 2022, following the Australian federal election in 2022. In the Government of Austra ...

under the Abbott Government. After the

2016 Australian federal election The 2016 Australian federal election was a double dissolution election held on Saturday 2 July to elect all 226 members of the 45th Parliament of Australia, after an extended eight-week official campaign period. It was the first double dissol ...

, the responsibilities were passed to the Minister of the Environment and Energy under the Turnbull Government. Following the appointment of

Scott Morrison Scott John Morrison (; born 13 May 1968) is an Australian politician. He served as the 30th prime minister of Australia and as Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia from 2018 to 2022, and is currently the member of parliament (MP) for th ...

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

in August 2018,

Josh Frydenberg Joshua Anthony Frydenberg () (born 17 July 1971) is an Australian former politician who served as the treasurer of Australia and deputy leader of the Liberal Party from 2018 to 2022. He also served as a member of parliament (MP) for the divisi ...

was elevated to

Treasurer of Australia The Treasurer of Australia (or Federal Treasurer) is a high ranking official and senior minister of the Crown in the Government of Australia who is the head of the Ministry of the Treasury which is responsible for government expenditure and ...

, whereby Frydenberg's previous ministerial positions were separated, with Melissa Price as

Minister of the Environment An environment minister (sometimes minister of the environment or secretary of the environment) is a cabinet position charged with protecting the natural environment and promoting wildlife conservation. The areas associated with the duties of an ...

and Angus Taylor as Minister for Energy. On 1 February 2020, An Administrative Arrangements Order (AAOs) was executed by the Australian Government. This order required small business and energy functions be passed to the renamed

Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources was a department of the Australian Government responsible for consolidating the Government’s efforts to drive economic growth, productivity and competitiveness by bringing together indus ...

Objectives

The department deals with: * Development and coordination of domestic and international climate change policy * International climate change negotiations * Design and implementation of emissions trading * Mandatory renewable energy target policy, regulation, and co-ordination * Greenhouse emissions and energy consumption reporting *

Climate change adaptation Climate change adaptation is the process of adjusting to current or expected effects of climate change.IPCC, 2022Annex II: Glossary öller, V., R. van Diemen, J.B.R. Matthews, C. Méndez, S. Semenov, J.S. Fuglestvedt, A. Reisinger (eds.) InClimat ...

strategy and co-ordination * Co-ordination of climate change science activities

List of energy ministers

The following individuals have been appointed as energy minister, or any of its precedent titles:

List of ministers for climate change

The Minister for Climate Change is responsible for developing climate change (

global warming In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

) solutions, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting energy efficiency. The following individuals have been appointed to the post, or any of its precursor titles:

List of Assistant Ministers for Climate Change and Energy

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, or any of its precedent titles:

References

External links

* {{Australian federal ministerial portfolios

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

Climate Change and Energy