Coal-fired spark to emissions growth

Canberra Times
Wednesday 25/6/2008 Page: 5

Australia's continuing demand for coal-fired electricity has driven a 3 per cent growth in greenhouse emissions over the past 12 months, according to new Federal Government figures. The 2006 National Greenhouse Gas Inventory reveals preliminary estimates for the 2007-08 financial year show Australia's energy appetite generated 382 million tonnes of carbon dioxide - up from 378 million tonnes the previous year.

Greenhouse pollution from Australia's electricity, manufacturing and construction industries has almost doubled since 1990, increasing by more than 47 per cent. In 2006, energy sector emissions were 1.5 per cent higher than the previous year and 40 per cent higher than in 1990. Energy use by mining, manufacturing and construction increased by 30 per cent over the same period.

The Department of Climate Change report said,"An increase in coal related emissions accounted for 70.4 per cent of the overall increase in emissions, with gas accounting for 21 per cent and oil 9.5 per cent." Road transport accounted for 12 per cent of Australia's emissions, increasing by almost 27 per cent since 1990. Cars were the largest source of emissions, with a 21 per cent increase, while emissions from domestic air transport grew by 107 per cent. Federal Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said although data in the 2006 inventory showed Australia was on track to meet its Kyoto emission reduction targets, there was still a lot of work to do.

"Our emissions results identify some challenges," Senator Wong said. "For example, strong growth in energy use in 2007 saw energy-use related emissions increase by 12 million tonnes to 378 million tonnes. "These results highlight how we need to change the way the economy works, to move it from a high emissions economy of the past to the low emissions economy of the future.

"The economically responsible way to do this is with an Emissions Trading Scheme." Greens climate change spokeswoman Christine Milne said the report showed rising emissions from coal were "still at the heart of the problem." "Unless and until we start seriously addressing coal emissions with energy efficiency and renewable energy, we will not turn around Australia's growing emissions - 70 per cent of the overall increase in emission since 1990 is due to coal," Senator Milne said. "Coal is at the heart of our skyrocketing emissions problem, and replacing coal is at the heart of the zero emissions solution."