Australia's Carbon Emissions Continue To Rise Despite Government Assurances About Climate Change Policy

ABC News - Claudia Long

Emissions Reductions Minister Angus Taylor said the increase is due to growth in LNG exports. (Supplied: GRACosway)

Key points Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor said the increase is due to growth in LNG exports The report shows a drop in emissions from electricity and agriculture have been offset by increases from transport and waste Labor says the Coalition should not solely blame LNG exports for the increase

New figures show Australia's carbon emissions are continuing to climb despite Federal Government assurances it has the policy framework to address climate change.In the year to March, emissions rose 0.6 per cent on the previous year, according to data released by Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor
There was, however, a drop in greenhouse gas emissions of 0.4 per cent recorded in the March quarter of this year.
The Opposition and environment groups have seized on the data and accused the Government of failing to respond to a changing climate.
Mr Taylor rejected that and insisted the increase in emissions is due to growth in the LNG industry.
"In the last year there is a 0.6 per cent increase but it was more than accounted for by the very strong growth in LNG exports that are reducing global emissions," Mr Taylor said.
"We're seeing a reduction in emissions as a result of Australia's gas exports, but we have to wear a small increase as a result of that.
"While that is not great for carbon accounting it is a good outcome for the world."

Labor and environmental groups have rejected Angus Taylor's claims about climate change action. (ABC News: Jake Evans)

The increase of around 3.1 million tonnes resulted in a total of 538.9 million tonnes of carbon emissions over the year to March 2019.
The report also showed a continued drop in emissions from the electricity and agriculture sectors have been offset by increases in emissions from transport, waste and other sectors.

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Despite the overall increase, Mr Taylor echoed the Prime Minister's previous comments that Australia would meet its Paris Agreement obligations "in a canter".
"We've laid out to the last tonne how we're going to reach those Paris commitments," he said.
"No government 12 years ahead of a target has laid out to the last tonne how they're going to achieve those obligations."
Head of research for the Climate Council Martin Rice disputed that claim, telling the ABC the results weren't good enough, despite the quarterly drop.
"The emissions figures clearly show the Federal Government is failing to act," Dr Rice said.
"Even the Government's own data confirms we are not on track to meet our woefully inadequate emissions reduction target.
"The emissions data today is another example of reckless reporting from the Federal Government.
"They cherrypick the data, they don't look at the big pictures."

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Labor's climate change and energy spokesman Mark Butler said the Coalition should not solely blame LNG exports for the increase.
"The report shows that year-on-year emissions are rising in every sector of the economy except for two," he said.
"One of them is electricity because of the renewable energy target and some state renewable energy policies that Angus Taylor has opposed vociferously.
"And the other sector of the economy that's seen emissions go down is agriculture, unfortunately because of the impact of the drought.
"Every other sector of the economy, not just LNG, sees emissions rising and has seen emissions rising ever since this Government was elected."

Links

• Australia's emissions rise again, delayed Government data shows
• Are Australia's emissions going up or down? It depends who you ask
• Global carbon emissions hit record high in 2018, International Energy Agency says
• Australia Is Third Largest Exporter Of Fossil Fuels Behind Russia And Saudi Arabia
• Morrison Government Experts Say Australia Must 'Do More' On Climate
• Australia's Emissions Reach The Highest On Record, Driven By Electricity Sector
• Call To Arms: How Can Australia Avoid A Slow And Painful Decline?
• Analysis: Why Children Must Emit Eight Times Less CO2 Than Their Grandparents