Emission reductions being driven by the states
AUSTRALIA is expected to have even greater emissions cuts by 2030 but it has been almost entirely driven by the states and international demand, new research shows.
The Climate Analytics report, commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation, has found virtually none of the increased cuts are due to federal Government policy.
Instead it found the expected emissions reductions are being driven by action taken by state governments and demand from overseas countries that are signed up to the Paris targets.
The ACF report reveals emissions are expected to be reduced by between 30 and 38 per cent by 2030, exceeding the federal Government’s current 2030 Paris target.
However, Climate Analytics CEO Bill Hare said this was not due to the federal Government’s own policies. “It comes down to state level actions, such as driving more renewables and electric vehicle sales, as well as projected declines in Australia’s market for LNG and coal because our major trading partners are implementing their Paris commitments,” he said.
“On the other side of the equation we show that it would be easy for Australia to more than halve emissions by 2030 simply by accelerating renewable energy, providing greater national incentives for electric vehicles and reducing land clearance rates, yet the federal Government’s present encouragement of new fossil fuel projects, such as coal mines and massive gas developments, would make this impossible.”
The report offers three scenarios under which it says the Federal Government could easily raise the 2030 target to between 50 to 60 per cent below 2005 levels. ACF Climate Change and Clean Energy Campaigner Suzanne Harter said this was vital and would boost the economy.
“We need a national plan to slash climate pollution by 2030, with strong targets that match those of the US, the UK and other trading partners such as the European Union and Japan. We have abundant clean energy, tools and talent, but we cannot delay any longer,” she said.