Let’s get something straight – Australia is not on track to meet its climate targets

Australia’s current greenhouse gas pollution targets are weak, and we are not on track to meet them.

HOW DO WE KNOW AUSTRALIA ISN’T ON TRACK TO MEET OUR CLIMATE COMMITMENTS?

The Australian Government’s own projections show that Australia is not on track to reach our national emissions reduction target of 26-28% target by 2030 (below 2005 levels). According to the government’s projections, in order to meet our current emissions targets, Australia will need policies to reduce emissions by an extra 868-924 million tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution between 2021-2030.

Source: Page 13, Australia’s emissions projections 2017

Australia’s greenhouse gas pollution levels have been going up for three consecutive years now, and our pollution levels – excluding land use change – are now at record highs.

WHY AREN’T WE ON TRACK TO MEET OUR CLIMATE COMMITMENTS?

Australia lacks credible national climate policy to drive down greenhouse gas pollution. This is why we are not on track to meet even our woefully inadequate 26-28% emissions reduction target for 2030.

AUSTRALIA’S EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGET IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE.

Australia’s current 2030 emissions reduction target of 26-28% (below 2005 levels) falls significantly short of what is required to effectively tackle climate change.
The Climate Change Authority (2015) recommended a 45-65% emissions reduction target for 2030 (below 2005 levels), based on scientific evidence, what comparable countries are doing and what is in the best interests of Australia.

AUSTRALIA’S EMISSIONS ARE SIGNIFICANT AND RISING

Australia is the 16th largest emitter of carbon dioxide worldwide, and the 12th highest on a per person basis (Global Carbon Atlas 2018).

WHY WE NEED TO REDUCE OUR GREENHOUSE GAS POLLUTION LEVELS

Climate change, worsened by the burning of coal, oil and gas, is already intensifying extreme weather events in Australia and around the world.
Australia is in the firing line of climate change. Australians are facing increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather, including droughts, bushfires, heatwaves and supercharged storms, testing the limits of our coping capacity.

Australians need strong national climate policy, and to work collectively with the international community under the Paris Climate Agreement, in order limit the impacts of extreme weather on our livelihoods, safety and health.