TRENDING at a time as Australia has committed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43 % below 2005 levels by 2030 . At the same time , each state has also set interim emissions reduction targets by 2030 : NSW : 50 %; Victoria : 50 %; Queensland : 30 %; South Australia : at least 50 %; Western Australia : 80 % below 2020 levels ; ACT : 65 – 75 % ( on 1990 levels ).
Tasmania achieved net zero in 2015 .
The survey sought to shed light on the importance of sustainability for organizations today , and the steps being taken to address today ’ s data sustainability challenges .
Key findings include :
• When asked what the biggest challenge is to achieving their sustainability goals , 45 % said they lacked a sustainability strategy and implementation plan ( compared to 37 % globally ), with 41 % plagued with striving to keep up with regulations ( versus 46 % globally ).
• One in three also noted that they had inadequate access to critical sustainability data .
• The timing for achieving their goals is still decades away ; on average , organizations do not expect to be at net zero carbon emissions until 2048 , 25 years from now .
• Ethical obligations ( 56 %) were cited as the primary driver of the organization ’ s sustainability goals while complying with regulations ( 47 %) and meeting customer environmental expectations ( 41 %) rounded out the top three .
• Globally , 56 % of organizations cited compliance with new legislation and regulation as their primary drivers for sustainability goals followed by attracting and retaining talent ( 38 %) and cost optimization ( 37 %).
• 57 % of Australian respondents said that their data center footprint had not changed at all in the past two years . This compared to 61 % globally . Just 7 % said it decreased at all compared to 16 % globally .
• In looking ahead two years , 44 % expect the carbon footprint of their data center will either stay the same or increase ; this compares to 73 % globally ; only 6 % ( compared to 9 % globally ) expect it to decrease more than 10 %.
“ To get to net-zero goals as set out by Federal and State governments , this global survey suggests that Australian businesses are in catch-up mode compared to their global peers in their sustainability efforts ,” said Knight . p
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