The NSW Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board has today been announced with Dr Kerry Schott AO appointed as chair.
Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean, said the Board would provide the NSW Government advice on the implementation of the State’s ambitious Net Zero Plan to achieve 50 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
“Dr Schott is one of the most outstanding public servants in the country and brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience which will be invaluable as NSW drives towards halving our emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050,” Mr Kean said.
“The Board brings a weight of expertise to identify opportunities for NSW in new low emissions technologies and industries to ensure NSW decarbonises in a way that grows the economy and creates jobs.”
The Board’s role includes providing advice on the design of Net Zero programs, opportunities for low emissions research and industries in NSW and strategies to support existing industries to adopt low or zero greenhouse gas emissions technologies.
This advice aligned with the NSW Government’s suite of low emissions and climate change policies will ensure NSW becomes a clean energy economic superpower.
The appointment of the Net Zero Board builds on the NSW Government’s announcements this year including: the NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy, the Net Zero Industry and Innovation Program, the NSW Hydrogen Strategy, and; the Net Zero Plan Implementation Update – raising our interim 2030 target to a 50 per cent reduction on emissions compared to 2005.
The full board appoinments are as follows:
- Dr Kerry Schott AO (Chair), previous Chair of the Energy Security Board overseeing critical reforms in the National Electricity Market during a period of significant transition and decarbonisation. Dr Schott has worked in numerous senior executive roles including as Managing Director and CEO of Sydney Water, Managing Director of Deutsche Bank and Executive Vice President of Bankers Trust Australia. Dr Schott is also a non-executive Director for NBN Co.
- Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte (Deputy Chair), the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer and Natural Resources Commissioner. Professor Durrant-Whyte is an honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia and Fellow of IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organisation for the advancement of technology.
- Ms Margaret (Meg) McDonald, a Board Member on the Foreign Investment Review Board and previous Board Member for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and NSW Government Decarbonisation Innovation Study. Ms McDonald was also the inaugural Chief Operating Operator for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
- Ms Katerina Kimmorley, who is a non-executive director at Allume Energy and Kimchi Investments and an advisor for Beyond Zero Emissions. Ms Kimmorley has been recognised by the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence, the London School of Economics’ Entrepreneur of the Year and the Prince of Wales’ Young Sustainability Entrepreneur Prize.
- Dr Martin Parkinson AC PSM FASSA FIPAA, currently Macquarie University Chancellor and former Secretary of Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian Treasury and Department of Climate Change.
- Mr Peter Warne, currently the Independent Chair of Macquarie Bank and Board Member of Allens. Mr Warne was a Director of the Sydney Futures Exchange (SFE) and served as Deputy Chairman of the SFE and has previously served as Chairman of ALE Property Group. He was a Director of New South Wales Treasury Corporation, where he served as interim Chairman from 2019 to 2020.
- Ms Judy Slatyer, who is a current member of the Organising Committee of the Climate Leaders Coalition and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the CSIRO. Ms Slatyer is a former CEO of the Australian Red Cross, COO of WWF and CEO of Lonely Planet.