The Department of the Environment and Energy has released a consumption-based inventory of Australia’s national greenhouse gas emissions for the first time, showing that emissions per capita are at their lowest level in 29 years.
The June 2019 Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory report showed that in the year to June, emissions per capita had fallen 40.9 per cent compared to 1990.
“In the year to June 2019 emissions per capita – and the emissions intensity of the economy – were at their lowest levels in 29 years… while the emissions intensity of the economy was 62.9 per cent lower than in 1990,” the Department said.
The report showed the emissions from electricity generation also fell for the third year in a row, down 1.2 per cent. During the September quarter 2019, electricity emissions fell to their lowest level since records began in 2001.
“Emissions from the electricity sector are experiencing a long-term decline – down 15 per cent from the peak recorded in the year to June 2009,” it said.
The report highlighted the ongoing impact of the drought and Queensland floods on the agriculture sector where emissions had declined 5.9 per cent or 4.2 Mt CO2-e in 2018-19, while there had been an increase in emissions from the liquified natural gas (LNG) industry.
The report said that emissions related to the production of Australia’s exports had increased as a share of total emissions, from 30.1 per cent or 161 Mt CO2-e in 2013-14, to 37.5 per cent or 199 Mt CO 2-e in 2018-19.
The report said rapid growth of the LNG industry accounted for much of the increase, advising that the value of Australian exports had also increased by 36.4 per cent since 2013-14 to $372 billion in 2018-19.
The Department’s 56-page June report can be accessed at this PS New link.
