by Ebony Bennett
[Originally published in the Canberra Times, 02 November 2019]
In his government's latest free-speech crackdown, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has vowed to outlaw civil society groups campaigning against Australian businesses that work with companies with dubious environmental, human rights or ethical records.
Welcome to the October 2019 issue of The Australia Institute’s National Energy Emissions Audit (the Emissions Audit).The Emissions Audit tracks Australia’s emissions of greenhouse gases from the combustion of fossil fuels every quarter; this issue contains data up to the end of June 2018. The Emissions Audit will therefore give readers the most up to date possible advice on how Australia is tracking towards meeting its emissions reduction commitment under the Paris Agreement. Fossil fuel combustion accounts for the majority of Australia’s emissions – 72 per cent in the most recent National Greenhouse Gas Inventory for financial year 2015-16.
New research shows that an increase in diesel combustion emissions during FY11 to FY18 almost completely cancels out the decrease in emissions from electricity generation in the National Electricity Market (NEM) over the same period.
The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released their latest National Energy Emissions Audit, analysing the electricity sector over the previous month.
Key Findings:
A Ucomms poll commissioned by the Australia Institute of 1,136 residents across Tasmania on the evening of 22nd October, found almost two thirds of Tasmanians want to see takayna/Tarkine protected rather than logged.
Despite state government plans to log old growth and rainforest in takanya/Tarkine, support for preserving the forests in a national park remains strong at just under 66%
“We wanted to test community attitudes, given the governments strong advocacy for logging over the past 12 months and see if it had had an effect” Said Leanne Minshull, Director The Australia Institute – Tasmania
The open letter signed by 47 experts co-ordinated and published by the Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program and complete list of signatories is reproduced in full below. View full media release here.
An open letter to the Government of New South Wales
47 scientists and experts have signed an open letter urging the NSW Government not to overrule NSW laws that require climate change impacts to be considered in the assessment of new coal mines.
The NSW Government is reportedly set to legislate restrictions on its own Independent Planning Commission preventing it from considering downstream greenhouse gas pollution (Scope 3 emissions) in major development decisions. Scope 3 emissions from burning coal are by far the largest source of greenhouse gases from coal mined in NSW.
by Ebony Bennett
[Originally published in the Canberra Times, 21 October 2019]
As the black sheep in a family of car enthusiasts, I know that if you brake and put your foot on the accelerator at the same time there’s a lot of noise and smoke, but you end up spinning your wheels.
At the UN General Assembly the Prime Minister claimed Australia has the highest renewable energy investment in the world in per capita terms. This claim is contradicted by multiple data sources including those the government cites, and is misleading. The recent boom followed a collapse caused by the government cutting the Renewable Energy Target. Investment is again slowing and without new policy and planning the industry’s future is uncertain.
The claim that Australia ranks first globally per capita on renewable energy investment is both misleading and incorrect, according to new research from the Australia Institute.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Morrison claimed Australia has the highest per capita investment in clean energy in the world. This claim was repeated in Parliament in Question Time this week, and is set to be interrogated during Senate Estimates.
Key Findings
by Ebony Bennett
[Originally published in the Canberra Times, 05 October 2019]
Every spring I fall in love with Canberra all over again. After the biting cold of a perfect Canberra winter - which I enjoy until the last month or so - it's uplifting to see the naked trees become leafy and green again, and to watch the cherry blossoms bloom and the days become lighter and longer. When daylight saving begins, I start making promises to myself to ride my bike to work every day.
