Why Are Australia’s Emissions on the Rise Despite Climate Target Claims?

Data collected by Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator shows that emissions have increased in the 12 months leading up to July 2015, despite the government claiming that it is on track to meet its targets agreed at the COP21 climate change talks in Paris.

The regulator, which is the arm of the government in charge of monitoring emissions levels, analysed data which covers about 60% of all emissions from the country. While it did not include information pertaining to private vehicle emissions, residential emissions or agricultural and forestry emissions, it did cover figures from the country’s main polluting companies and found that all in all, the figures had risen since last year.

What the Facts Say

The data supplied by the Clean Energy Regulator shows that in the year leading up to July 2015, the country’s foremost polluters emitted a total of 322 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), which was a 3.2% rise from the previous 12 months.

These findings were corroborated by another independent study from the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), which showed that of the top 10 polluting companies in the nation, seven of them increased their emissions in 2015.

This increase has come despite the fact that many of the companies implicated have actually called on the government to take affirmative action on climate change. AGL Energy are in fact top of the list for the most contaminating companies, having doubled their emissions levels from last year. However, AGL have repeatedly petitioned the government to help the nation to transition towards cleaner methods of energy generation, with their CEO Andrew Vesey recently telling the Guardian that the firm wanted “to be out of the CO2 emissions business”.

Burying their Head in the Sand

The revelation comes despite the fact that the government claims it’s on track to meet previously outlined targets of a 5% reduction of emissions from 2000 levels by 2020. Critics say that not only is this target not conducive to keeping global temperatures under 2°C, but that the country is unlikely to meet it regardless.

“If you listen to the federal government you’d be forgiven for thinking Australia’s pollution levels were decreasing, when in fact Australia’s pollution increased by 1.3% in 2014-15 – that’s 7,200,000 additional tonnes of planet-warming pollution pumped into our skies in just one year,” the president of the ACF said. “ACF urges the federal government to close Australia’s coal-fired power stations in phases, starting with the dirtiest plants, help affected communities with the transition and draw up comprehensive plans to clean up and rehabilitate old mine sites and power stations.”

It appears this government has been fairly negligent when it comes to caring for the future of the planet. Indeed, it has even been suggested by those in power that Australia could act as a nuclear waste dumping ground, representing a very short-sighted attempt to generate economic gain.

Relying on a Miracle

The government has defended its position, stubbornly maintaining its stance that the country will meet its targets (despite evidence to the contrary) and championing innovation as the solution to climate change.

While the future of our energy production methods may well come from a technological breakthrough, relying entirely on this possibility appears to be a risky strategy. That’s not to say that the gambit hasn’t already yielded several promising climate-conscious practices - especially in the water and wastewater treatment sector – but the phrase “putting all of your eggs in one basket” springs to mind.

Investment in innovation is all well and good, but without the effort to move away from fossil fuels to cleaner methods immediately, Australia will neglect her duty in reducing carbon emissions and preventing the most catastrophic effects of climate change.