The federal public service is working to cancel out its emissions. 

Australian government departments and agencies will soon be required to publicly report their greenhouse gas emissions as part of the APS Net Zero policy, led by the Department of Finance. 

The policy aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 through measures such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, and the use of offsets. 

The October Budget allocated $7.1 million to the Department of Finance to support the transition to net-zero emissions.

The Australian Defence Force and security agencies are excluded from the policy due to their operational needs. 

However, changes have already been made to government policies and frameworks, including commonwealth procurement rules, property management, and fleet vehicle selection policy. The latter includes a 75 per cent target for low-emission vehicles in the commonwealth's passenger vehicle fleet.

In addition to working with Finance on the policy, some departments are implementing their own initiatives. 

The Department of Industry, Science, and Resources is trialling green waste bins, while Treasury is reducing stationary orders and using recycled paper. 

Health and Aged Care is working with landlords to provide electric vehicle charging stations, and Home Affairs is monitoring emissions from its commercial properties.

The APS Net Zero policy was announced in November 2022 by Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher, who believes the APS can set the benchmark for emission reductions. 

“Reducing public sector emissions is not only a strong signal of how serious the government is about reducing emissions more broadly in Australia, but will also over time, save taxpayers money, and of course, have a positive impact on the environment,” Gallagher said at the time. 

The policy is on the Finance website and will be developed further this year.