Victorians running hot in green stakes

Age
Tuesday 2/9/2008 Page: 3

VICTORIANS have cranked up their heaters more this winter, and when outside are more likely to jump in the car, according to a report on greenhouse gas emissions. With winter now technically behind us, figures from The Climate Group show that Victoria's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 0.7 million tonnes compared with winter last year. Queenslanders, despite their warmer climate, also increased their energy use over winter, with emissions rising by 0.9 million tonnes.

Both states were shown up by NSW, which reduced its emissions by 0.6 million tonnes. Victoria's emissions from petrol also increased slightly, up from 6.78 million tonnes last year to 7 million tonnes this winter. Queensland increased its reliance on petrol by 2.3%, up from 7.42 million tonnes to 7.59 million tonnes. Again, NSW was the standout of the eastern states, curbing petrol use by 4.2%, from 9.46 million tonnes last winter to 9.06 million tonnes.

The Australian director of The Climate Group, Rupert Posner, said that while the figures were not "awful", they served as a reminder that the Kyoto Protocol required Australia to lower its emissions to 108% of 1990 levels by 2012. "The good news is that electricity demand did not increase substantially, up just 1% overall, with Queensland increasing by more than 2% and Victoria and NSW increasing by less than 1%," Mr Posner said. Total emissions from energy in NSW and Victoria are about 30% above 1990 levels, and in Queensland they are 100% higher.

Link www.theclimategroup.org