National Clean Air Agreement

About the Agreement

The National Clean Air Agreement helps governments identify and prioritise actions to address air quality issues.

Australia’s environment ministers established the agreement on 15 December 2015.

The agreement sets a framework for national collaboration on air quality issues to deliver health, environmental and economic outcomes for Australians.

The agreement’s work plan lists the environment ministers proposed actions, roles, responsibilities and timeframes for implementing the actions. It is reviewed and updated every two years.

2021-23 work plan

The National Clean Air Agreement 2021-23 work plan details the rolling program of activities to respond to air quality priorities.

The senior officials group (SOG) agreed to this work plan out of session on 10 May 2022.

This work plan builds on collaborative achievements of the previous work plans. It includes a range of projects across the four strategic approaches set out by the agreement.

Achievements

2018-20 work plan

Actions on the 2018-2020 work plan included:

  • strengthened ambient air quality standards for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone
  • reviewed legislative instruments made under the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000.

2015-2017 work plan

Actions delivered under the 2015-17 work plan included:

  • strengthened ambient air quality reporting standards for particle (particulate matter or PM) pollution
  • the introduction of product emissions standards for new outdoor power equipment and marine engines (such as garden equipment and outboard motors), which commenced on 11 January 2018.

Further information

For more information on the National Clean Air Agreement, please email airquality@awe.gov.au.