Parliament orders major work on net-zero nuts and bolts

Parliament has asked the Climate Change Authority for an economy-wide report on achieving net zero. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Federal parliament has asked the Climate Change Authority to conduct a major piece of work on how to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The referral on Wednesday was the first of its kind following the start of government's revamped safeguard mechanism laws in July.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said it was a way of ensuring the government worked across the parliament to develop "evidence-based policy" to cut emissions.

Greens leader Adam Bandt, whose party agitated for the parliamentary referral system to be part of the mechanism, said the Climate Change Authority's independent expert advice should be respected.

Mr Bowen earlier this year announced sector-by-sector decarbonisation plans would be put in place in order for Australia to meet its net-zero target.

The motion asked the CCA to develop plans for the electricity and energy, transport, industry and waste, agriculture and land, and resources and built-environment sectors.

The authority will identify existing and prospective opportunities to achieve emissions reductions, which technologies may be deployed, how public and private finance can support the work, barriers to implementation and workforce issues.

Part of the referral asks for the CCA to ensure it takes into account the Paris climate agreement, to which Australia is a party.

The report will go to the minister by August 2024.

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