Western Australia's government has ruled out strengthening its "aspirational" target of net zero emissions by 2050 under its new climate policy.
Premier Mark McGowan on Monday unveiled a suite of measures which he said would help transition the state to a low-carbon economy.
They include plans to create Australia's longest electric vehicle charging infrastructure network - spanning from Kununurra to Esperance - as well as investments in carbon farming and more than $100 million towards a 100 megawatt "big battery".
But a target of the state achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 will remain aspirational, with no legislative requirement on big polluters to show how they will offset the environmental impact of their major projects.
"We don't see the need for it, to be honest," Environment Minister Stephen Dawson told reporters.
"Some jurisdictions around the world have legislated, others haven't. I'm confident that we've got good collaboration with industry in Western Australia."
Mr Dawson conceded resources-rich WA was an "emissions-intensive" state.
"Our emissions will continue to grow for the next few years but that's why policies like this are important to help us," he said.
"Emissions, nationally, are the responsibility of the federal government and we've been disappointed that they've not acted in this regard.
"I'm hopeful as a result of (former federal cabinet minister) Mathias Cormann running for the OECD that we might see some change in policy ... but the federal government has to do the heavy lifting."
Conservation Council of WA director Piers Verstegen said WA's policy offered no concrete plan to bring pollution under control.
"This undermines efforts under the Paris Agreement and could put the nail in the coffin even for Australia's modest national emissions reduction targets," he said.
A report by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre this month found that while greenhouse gas emissions have fallen nationally, they have grown by 12 per cent in WA over the last five years.
WA's Environmental Protection Authority last year released tough new guidelines suggesting major new projects should be carbon-neutral.
But the recommendation was promptly withdrawn following industry backlash and fears it could jeopardise tens of billions of dollars worth of new LNG projects.
The government will put $21 million into an electric vehicle fund in the hopes of significantly increasing their uptake.
There are less than 1500 electric vehicles currently in WA.
WA has ruled out following Victoria and South Australia's lead by taxing electric vehicle owners.
Mr Dawson said the "big battery", to be housed at the decommissioned Kwinana power station, would be capable of powering 160,000 homes for two hours.
It's expected to be operational by September 2022.
Australian Associated Press
