기본 콘텐츠로 건너뛰기

Six things we learned about the Australian government’s response to the climate crisis

 

Six things we learned about the Australian government’s response to the climate crisis



The Albanese government dropped six separate documents explaining what is happening on climate change and clean energy on Thursday in an annual event some call “climate Christmas”. Here is some of what we learned.


Emissions are falling – but not fast enough

The latest Australian emissions data tells a slightly complicated story, mainly due to the Covid-19 shutdown years. Have emissions increased under Labor, as the Coalition and Greens claim? Or is that just in comparison with those during lockdowns? 

Emissions fell slightly last financial year – about 3m tonnes, or a 0.7% drop – and are now estimated to be 28.2% below 2005 levels. This followed a small post-pandemic rise the year before.

A progress report by the Climate Change Authority gives the backdrop to this: pollution declined rapidly when Covid hit, largely because we stopped driving and flying as much, and has plateaued over the three years since. Its conclusion is that emissions are falling but not fast enough.

Climate pollution needs to be reduced on average by 15m tonnes a year between now and 2030 to reach the government’s legislated target (a 43% cut below 2005 levels). 

Projections suggest this is possible under existing policies – if everything goes according to plan. The biggest driver of this should be the capacity investment scheme, a program to underwrite 32GW in new large-scale renewable energy and batteries before the end of the decade. That is roughly equivalent to building half the current capacity of the grid again.

But it is worth remembering what scientists say: that Australia should be making a deeper cut by 2030 and setting a much more ambitious target for 2035 in the months ahead, to live up to the goals of the landmark Paris agreement.


Renewables are taking off

The positive news is that solar and wind energy are now being added to the grid at a record pace. The Clean Energy Regulator says 7.2GW to 7.5GW are expected to be installed this year, beating the previous best year in 2020.

A little less than half of this capacity is in rooftop solar panels, mostly on homes. At the other end of the scale the government has approved what are expected to be the two largest windfarms in the country – MacIntyre in Queensland and Golden Plains stage 1 in Victoria. 

With an influx of renewables expected, the regulator expects a “material step up” in the share of electricity coming from zero emissions sources next year. Renewable energy is forecast to deliver 45% of the total, up from less than 39% over the past 12 months. 

In a separate report, the Australian Energy Market Commission says this should be good for power bills. Household costs are projected to fall over the next decade as long as the rollout of renewables, energy storage and transmission lines continues.

The commission estimates that an average household that “fully electrifies” (has solar panels and replaces cars and gas appliances with electric alternatives) could cut their annual energy spending by 70%, or $3,500 – once they have dealt with the upfront costs.


Is the safeguard mechanism working?

We shouldn’t put too much weight on it but the Climate Change Authority report gives the first snapshot at what is happening with the safeguard mechanism, a Coalition-era policy that Labor tightened to limit emissions at major industrial sites.

The performance of the mechanism matters – the 215 or so sites it covers are responsible for 31% of pollution. According to preliminary data, emissions across these sites fell slightly, by 2.9m tonnes of Co2, last financial year in absolute terms.

Some caveats: it is not clear the extent to which this dip was driven by the safeguard or by other factors – for example, if higher energy prices reduced output at some companies.

According to the environment department’s emissions projections report, the absolute cut in emissions from polluters covered by the safeguard is expected to be only 13% by 2030 and 46% by 2040. Both are less than the nation-wide reductions expected over that period.

The industrial cuts are forecast to be greater once use of the carbon offset market – a contentious system that allows companies to buy credits said to represent emissions cuts elsewhere while continuing to pollute – is counted.


Who knew? Fossil fuels add pollution

Speaking of fossil fuels, the Climate Change Authority gives a picture of the impact of new and expanded coal and gas developments that have been approved, calculating they will add 21m tonnes of CO2 within Australia between now and 2030.

These emissions are dwarfed by what will be emitted once the coal and gas is shipped overseas and burned for energy. But the offshore pollution is not counted against Australia under international greenhouse accounting rules.


Labor’s climate policies are yet to kick in

This is a key point. The Climate Change Authority says Labor’s climate policies – including the capacity investment scheme, the reformed safeguard mechanism, the vehicle efficiency standard to encourage cleaner car uptake, and the $22.7bn Future Made in Australia program – have largely not been around long enough to have had an impact.

But it says they “have improved Australia’s prospects of cutting emissions in line with the national 2030 target” as long as they are delivered on time.


A final word of warning

The authority points out there have been a series of revisions to Australia’s emissions accounts – particularly, changes in estimates of how much CO2 has been released or absorbed by the land and forests.

These changes have made it easier to reach the 43% target. The authority stresses they “should not be mistaken for signs that the transformations required for decarbonising the economy have commenced”.

In other words, updates to the greenhouse books does not mean Australia is cleaning up its act.

The revisions have been significant. This year alone, the estimate of how much the country emitted over the past four years was reduced by 79m tonnes of CO2.

The authority does not suggest there is anything sinister going on. It says revisions are an important part of ensuring accuracy and a 2022 UN expert review did not identify “any material issues”.

But the favourable changes reinforce that, while the 2030 target may be within reach, there is still a long way to go in cleaning up the economy.

댓글

이 블로그의 인기 게시물

Non-contact exposure to dinotefuran disrupts honey bee homing by altering MagR and Cry2 gene expression

  Non-contact exposure to dinotefuran disrupts honey bee homing by altering  MagR  and  Cry2  gene expression Dinotefuran is known to negatively affect honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) behavior, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The magnetoreceptor ( MagR , which responds to magnetic fields) and cryptochrome ( Cry2 , which is sensitive to light) genes are considered to play important roles in honey bees’ homing and localization behaviors. Our study found that dinotefuran, even without direct contact, can act like a magnet, significantly altering  MagR  expression in honeybees. This non-contact exposure reduced the bees’ homing rate. In further experiments, we exposed foragers to light and magnetic fields, the  MagR  gene responded to magnetic fields only in the presence of light, with  Cry 2 playing a key switching role in the magnetic field receptor mechanism ( MagR–Cry2 ). Yeast two-hybrid and BiFc assays confirmed an interactio...

New Report – Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis

New Report – Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis Earlier this year, midwives from 41 countries shared their experiences of working in communities affected by climate change through our survey, Midwives’ Experiences and Perspectives on Climate Change. Their voices shaped our new report, Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis , which highlights how midwives are already responding to the health impacts of climate disasters like floods, wildfires, and extreme heat—and why they must be included in climate action plans. What did we learn?Climate change is damaging community health: 75% of midwives reported that climate change is harming the communities they serve, with rising rates of preterm births, food insecurity, and restricted access to care during disasters like floods. Midwives are critical first responders: Midwives are often the first and only healthcare providers on the ground in crises, delivering care during wildfires, floods, and extreme heat. Midwives face signi...

Bee attack claims life of newspaper distributor

  Bee attack claims life of newspaper distributor Newspaper distributor Pushparaja Shetty (45), who sustained severe injuries in a bee attack, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday at a hospital in Mangaluru. Pushparaja was attacked by a swarm of bees on Wednesday morning while walking at Kenjaru Taangadi under Bajpe town panchayat limits. He was immediately admitted to a hospital for treatment but could not survive the ordeal. Fondly known as ‘Boggu’ in the Porkodi area, Pushparaja was well-known for his dedication to delivering newspapers on foot to every household. He was admired for his generosity, as he often distributed sweets to schoolchildren on Independence Day using his own earnings and contributed part of his income to the betterment of society. Pushparaja was unmarried and is survived by three brothers and one sister.

“Global honey crisis”: Testing technology and local sourcing soars amid fraud and tampering concerns

  “Global honey crisis”: Testing technology and local sourcing soars amid fraud and tampering concerns The World Beekeeping Awards will not grant a prize for honey next year due to the “inability” to thoroughly test honey for adulteration. The announcement comes amid the rise of honey fraud in the EU, where a 2023 investigation found that 46% of 147 honey samples tested were likely contaminated with low-cost plant syrups.  Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, organizes the event at its Congress, whose 49th edition will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in September 2025. The conference brings together beekeepers, scientists and other stakeholders. “We will celebrate honey in many ways at the Congress, but honey will no longer be a category, and thus, there will be no honey judging in the World Beekeeping Awards. The lessons learned from Canada 2019 and Chile 2023 were that adequate testing was impossible if we are to award winning honey at the Con...

Unveiling the Canopy's Secrets: New Bee Species Discovered in the Pacific

  Unveiling the Canopy's Secrets: New Bee Species Discovered in the Pacific In an exciting development for environmentalists and beekeeping experts, researchers have discovered eight new species of masked bees in the Pacific Islands, shining a light on the rich biodiversity hidden within the forest canopy. This discovery underscores the critical role bees play in our ecosystems and the pressing need for conservation efforts to protect these vital pollinators. A New Frontier in Bee Research By exploring the forest canopy, scientists have opened a new frontier in bee research, revealing species that have adapted to life high above the ground. These discoveries are crucial for understanding the complex relationships between bees, flora, and the broader ecosystem. The new species of masked bees, characterized by their striking black bodies with yellow or white highlights, particularly on their faces, rely exclusively on the forest canopy for survival. The Importance of Bee Conservation...

Start the New Year Humming Like a Bee

  Start the New Year Humming Like a Bee There are lots of opportunities to be as busy as a bee during these winter holidays. As we hustle toward the dawn of the New Year, it can be hard to notice that the natural world is actually suggesting something different for us right now. We’re past the solstice, but the winter still stretches ahead, the days are still short and the nights long. We’re being invited into a quieter, more inner-focused time. The ancient yogis were all about this inner focus. In India, for example, the Upanishads, the Sanskrit writings that accompanied the development of Hinduism — and alongside it, yoga — beginning around 800 B.C.E., went deeper than earlier texts had into philosophy and questions of being. With the goals of increased inner awareness and higher consciousness, yoga was at that time not yet as focused on the body or on asanas, as it now can tend to be. But the yogis did develop many practices to try to open the way to those goals. They discovered...

The Essential Role of Bees in Our Ecosystem and the Challenges They Face

The Essential Role of Bees in Our Ecosystem and the Challenges They Face Bees have been an integral part of our ecosystem and human agriculture for over four centuries, primarily utilized for their honey in the early days. Now, they are recognized more for their critical role in pollination, which directly impacts a vast majority of the food we consume. Mark Lilly, a prominent beekeeper, emphasizes that without bees' pollination efforts, a significant portion of our diet would be at risk. However, bees face numerous threats, including varroa mites and, in specific regions like West Virginia, black bears. These challenges necessitate concerted efforts for preservation and protection. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q1: Why are bees so important to the ecosystem? A1: Bees are crucial for pollinating plants, which is necessary for the production of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Without bees, a large portion of the food we eat would not be available. Q2: What are the main threats to...

The Growing Dilemma of Pet Burials in South Korea: Environmental and Legal Hurdles

The Growing Dilemma of Pet Burials in South Korea: Environmental and Legal Hurdles As the number of pets in South Korea steadily increases, pet owners face a growing dilemma due to the limited number of pet cemeteries across the country. Under the current legal framework, pet remains are classified as household waste, requiring specific disposal methods that are neither convenient nor easily accessible for all citizens. The imbalance between the rising pet population—over 5.52 million households with pets by the end of 2022—and the mere 70 registered pet cemeteries has led to significant challenges. This shortage is particularly evident in regions like Jeju Island, where pet owners must undergo arduous journeys to the mainland to ensure their pets receive proper burials. The root cause of this shortage lies in the strict regulations governing the establishment of pet cemeteries. These facilities, which must include crematoriums, face numerous restrictions, such as proximity to resident...

Climate Crisis Claims Glacier's Vital Climate Data Archive

  Climate Crisis Claims Glacier's Vital Climate Data Archive A recent study published in Nature Geoscience reveals a distressing consequence of global warming: the irreversible loss of valuable climate data stored in alpine glaciers. The research, conducted by a team led by Margit Schwikowski from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), underscores the alarming rate at which glaciers are melting and highlights the implications for climate research. The study focuses on the Corbassière glacier at Grand Combin in Switzerland, where ice cores drilled in 2018 and 2020 were intended to serve as vital climate archives. However, comparing the two sets of ice cores reveals a grim reality—global warming has rendered the glacier unsuitable as a reliable climate archive. Glaciers, renowned as climate archives, encapsulate valuable information about past climatic conditions and atmospheric compositions. The fluctuating concentrations of trace substances in ice layers provide insights into historica...

German election: Climate and environment take a back seat

  German election: Climate and environment take a back seat When the coalition government comprising the center-left  Social Democratic Party (SPD) ,  Greens  and neoliberal  Free Democratic Party (FDP)  emerged after the last German federal election in the fall of 2021, then-incoming Chancellor  Olaf Scholz  (SPD) did not object to being called the "climate chancellor." That was no surprise: the climate crisis had been a top issue during the election campaign. The new government made the fight against climate change a task for the Economy Ministry and appointed Vice Chancellor  Robert Habeck  from the Greens as its head. Three and a half years later, campaign speeches barely mention climate protection. The dominant issues are how to curb irregular immigration and how to boost Germany's sluggish economy. Skeptical view of renewable energy The head of the center-right  Christian Democratic Union (CDU) ,  Friedrich Merz ...