Australia must accelerate its transition to clean energy and take urgent steps to cut greenhouse gas emissions or risk widespread climate and biodiversity losses, the chair of the Climate Change Authority said in a speech delivered at the Australian Museum on Thursday.
Speaking at the 2025 Talbot Oration, Matt Kean called on governments to move beyond fossil fuel interests and focus on long-term national priorities. “We can’t afford to wait,” Kean said, warning that global temperatures are projected to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the decade. “The damage to communities, the economy and the environment is already being felt across Australia.”
Kean pointed to recent extreme weather events, including floods and cyclone damage that have led to more than A$2.2 billion in economic losses this year alone. He cited projections from the World Meteorological Organization showing that temperature rises are likely to continue, compounding existing challenges.
“The challenge is not just to cut emissions but to cope with the consequences already in train,” he said.
Referencing the Australian Museum’s historical role in documenting environmental change, Kean reflected on exhibits such as the extinction cabinets, which include the Bramble Cay melomys—a species declared extinct due to climate change. “How much storage space will museums need to set aside for extinctions?” he asked.
Kean said Australia’s energy future should be based on electrification, rooftop solar, battery storage, and large-scale renewables. He cited the global impact of Australian researcher Martin Green in lowering solar panel costs, arguing that further investment in clean technology is essential.
He expressed support for plans to subsidise one million household batteries and called for regulatory changes to make solar more accessible to businesses. “Policies that promote distributed energy would deliver power to the people,” he said.
As chair of the Climate Change Authority, Kean said the body is working to develop a 2035 emissions target that is “ambitious, informed by science, but also achievable.”
He urged policymakers to act decisively and resist pressure from the fossil fuel sector. “New engines of prosperity are up for grabs—and we should grab them,” Kean said. “We will have succeeded because we knew the dangers—and we acted.”
