In 2019, he was at Lake Conjola when one of the most savage fires of that awful summer hit the village. “When we were hit, both in Canberra and in Lake Conjola, we’re surrounded by people who were community members. “It’s too late to avoid any impacts, but it’s not too late to avoid the worst of the impacts,” said Bowen. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveils the nation’s new emissions targets flanked by the chair of the Climate Change Authority, Matt Kean (left), Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen (right) and Treasurer Jim Chalmers. The Climate Change Authority did as it had been instructed – it recommended to the government the maximum level of achievement possible.