Australia has experienced an increase in carbon emissions over the past couple of years. Here's a summary of the key factors contributing to this rise:
Causes of Increased Emissions
1. Transport Sector Recovery:
The growth in emissions is largely attributed to the resumption of ground transport and aviation following the shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic[3]. Transport emissions increased by 8% in the year to June 2023 compared to the previous year[1].
2. Agricultural Recovery:
There has been a recovery of agricultural activity following drought conditions early in the current decade. Agricultural emissions increased by 3% in the year to June 2023[1].
3. Industry and Resources:
The industry and resources sectors, responsible for 40% of Australia's emissions, recorded a slight increase of less than 1% in emissions[1].
4. Oil Emissions:
Emissions from oil use are projected to rise 1.5% in 2023, primarily due to increased transport activity[3].
5. Coal Emissions:
Coal emissions, which represent 41% of global emissions, are projected to increase by 1.1%[3].
Emission Trends
- In the 12 months to June 2023, Australia released an estimated 530.7Mt CO2, up from 526.6Mt CO2 in the 12 months to June 2022[2].
- Australia's greenhouse gas emissions were 467 million tonnes in the year ending June 2023, an increase of four million tonnes on the previous year[4].
- To achieve a 43% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, Australia needs to decarbonise at an average annual rate of 17 million tonnes[4].
Challenges and Concerns
- The current rate of emissions reduction is not sufficient to meet Australia's 2030 target[1][4].
- The government's reliance on reported emissions reductions in the land sector may obscure the continuous support for fossil fuels and lack of action in other sectors[7].
- Australia's climate policy shortcomings have been masked by revisions of land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF) sequestration data[7].
In conclusion, while Australia has made progress in some areas, such as renewable energy adoption, the recent increase in emissions highlights the need for more aggressive action across multiple sectors to meet climate targets and reduce the country's carbon footprint.
Citations:
[1] [PDF] 3 Reducing emissions - 2023 Annual Progress Report https://www.climatechangeauthority.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2023-11/2023%20APR%20-%20Part%202%20-%20Chapter%203.pdf
[2] As time runs out Australia's emissions are going in the wrong direction https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/as-time-runs-out-australias-emissions-are-going-in-the-wrong-direction/
[3] Carbon emissions at a record high, new report finds - CSIRO https://www.csiro.au/en/news/all/news/2023/december/carbon-emissions-at-a-record-high-new-report-finds
[4] Annual Progress Advice | Climate Change Authority https://www.climatechangeauthority.gov.au/annual-progress-advice-0
[5] Causes of Climate Change - State of the Environment 2023 https://soe.epa.sa.gov.au/environmental-themes/climate/climate-change-causes
[6] [PDF] Evaluating the significance of Australia's global fossil fuel carbon ... https://ca1-clm.edcdn.com/assets/australia_carbon_footprint_report_july2019.pdf
[7] Australia | Climate Action Tracker https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/australia/
[8] Farming Down Under: Agriculture's role in Australia's climate pollution https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/australia-agriculture-climate-change-emissions-methane/
