23 May
2006 - Minister for the Environment and Heritage,
Senator Ian Campbell, today released Australia’s
National Greenhouse Accounts, showing that Australia
is still on track to meet its internationally
agreed target of 108 per cent of 11000 emissions
despite strong growth in energy consumption.
“The accounts show our emissions
have increased by 2.3 per cent between 11000 and
2004, which is where we need to be to meet our
target,” Senator Campbell said.
Australia’s total greenhouse
emissions in 2004 were 564.7 million tonnes (Mt).
The contribution from the States are 28.2 per
cent from New South Wales, 28.1 per cent from
Queensland, 21.8 per cent from Victoria, 12.2
per cent from Western Australia, 4.9 per cent
from South Australia, 2.8 per cent from the Northern
Territory, 1.9 per cent from Tasmania, and .02
per cent from the Australian Capital Territory
(ACT based on partial inventory).
“These figures show that everyone – State Governments,
Local Governments and the Australian Government,
along with industry and individuals – has a role
to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
meeting the challenges of climate change,” Senator
Campbell said.
The small increase in Australia’s
overall emissions has occurred during a period
in which both the Australian economy and population
have grown significantly. Australia’s ‘greenhouse
intensity’ has decreased by 35 per cent since
11000.
“Since 11000, our GDP has increased
by 57 per cent while our greenhouse emissions
have only increased by 2.3 per cent. While these
figures represent good news, we can't afford to
be complacent,” Senator Campbell said.
“Australia contributes just
1.4 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions
– Australia on its own cannot make a real dent
in global emissions. That’s why the Australian
Government is working hard to develop an effective
global response that involves all major emitters.
“Australia contributes just
1.4 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
If we turned off all power stations in Australia,
the greenhouse gas emissions would be completely
replicated by the fast growth of China in just
11 months.
“We are working through the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change, playing a leading role in the Asia-Pacific
Partnership on Clean Development and Climate,
and have been invited to participate in the G8
Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable
Development.”
Domestically, through its $2
billion climate change strategy, the Australian
Government is working with industry and business
– through ground breaking renewable energy programmes
such as the $500 million Low Emissions Technology
Demonstration Fund, $75 million Solar Cities and
the Challenge Plus Programme – to help them reduce
their emissions and develop the technologies that
will be needed in the future.
Since 2000 more than $38 million
worth of rebates have been approved for over 6700
household and communities to convert sunlight
into electricity under the Photo Voltaic Rebate
Programme.
“Under previous Labor governments
there were just 20 wind turbines built. Today
there are almost 600 wind turbines built or under
construction,” Senator Campbell said.
“We are helping land owners
understand and reduce emissions from agricultural
production, both for climate and business benefits.
We are working with Local Governments to help
them introduce climate friendly practices in their
communities and we are also helping individual
households use energy more wisely and efficiently.
“By releasing these comprehensive
accounts, the Government is helping to inform
all Australians on Australia’s emission levels,
trends and outcomes.”
Attached is some background
information about Australia’s National Greenhouse
Accounts.
BACKGROUND:
Australia’s National Greenhouse
Accounts
The Accounts are a comprehensive
set of reports outlining Australia’s greenhouse
gas emissions – as a nation, as individual states,
and as economic sectors. They comprise the following:
the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2004, which
is estimated on a Kyoto reporting basis and relevant
for measuring progress towards the 108% target;
the State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories
2004, which are also estimated on a Kyoto reporting
basis;
the National Inventory by Economic
Sector 2004, which introduces estimates of emissions
by economic sector (eg residential) rather than
by the IPCC process-based categories used for
the other inventories (eg fuel combustion); and
the National Inventory Report 2004, which is Australia’s
official submission to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and which
is estimated on the reporting provisions applicable
to that Convention.
The National Inventory Report
is subject to international review each year.
The latest international review report, released
in March, welcomed the commitment made by the
Government to the National Inventory and praised
the ‘highly-sophisticated’ National Carbon Accounting
System used for estimating emissions from the
land-based sectors.
The data used in Australia’s
National Greenhouse Accounts can be accessed through
an online public database at www.greenhouse.gov.au/inventory.
A copy of the reports that make up Australia’s
National Greenhouse Accounts is also available
from this web site.
