At the United Nations Climate Week in New York, Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, delivered a clear message to global leaders: climate action is not an impossible task. By showcasing the country’s rapid uptake of solar power and household battery technologies, he argued that the energy transition is already underway and can be accelerated with the right policies and commitment.

Australia has long been recognized as a leader in rooftop solar. Millions of households across the nation now generate their own clean electricity, making it one of the highest per-capita adopters of solar energy in the world. In recent years, this progress has been paired with significant growth in battery storage systems, which allow homes and communities to store excess solar energy for later use. This combination is reshaping the country’s electricity grid, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and providing resilience against rising energy costs.

The minister highlighted that such achievements are not theoretical—they are happening at scale, and they demonstrate how climate action creates practical benefits. Renewable technologies are reducing household power bills, lowering emissions, and creating new economic opportunities through manufacturing and installation jobs. The narrative that transitioning away from fossil fuels is “too hard,” he argued, ignores these tangible successes.

Backing this transition, the Australian government has committed billions in funding. Programs such as the Net Zero Fund and investments in the Clean Energy Finance Corporation are designed to expand renewable manufacturing, accelerate grid-scale storage projects, and ensure stable electricity prices during the transition. Alongside these measures, the government has set ambitious climate targets, pledging to cut emissions by up to 70% by 2035 and to achieve net zero by 2050.

Of course, challenges remain. Renewable projects continue to face hurdles in planning approvals, supply chain constraints, and the need for expanded transmission infrastructure to connect solar and wind farms to the grid. Critics also argue that extending the life of certain gas projects risks undermining the urgency of decarbonization. However, the minister’s remarks at the UN were meant to counter the idea of “all-too-hardism”—a new form of climate denial that portrays action as unachievable. Instead, he pointed to Australia’s experience as proof that solutions exist and are already delivering results.

The speech resonated at a time when countries are under pressure to update their climate pledges ahead of COP30 in Brazil. As the world struggles to meet the 1.5 °C goal set by the Paris Agreement, Australia’s story is a reminder that progress is possible when governments, industries, and communities embrace clean technologies. The growth of solar and battery systems demonstrates that climate action, far from being a burden, is a path to resilience, economic opportunity, and a sustainable future.

Australia’s message to the world was clear: the tools to tackle climate change are in our hands, and the challenge is not too hard—it is a challenge we cannot afford to delay.