Australian emissions rise in 2021: report

Canberra [Australia], June 27 (ANI/Xinhua): Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2021, government data has revealed.
According to the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory update for December 2021, which was published on Monday, Australia produced 488 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2021, an increase of 0.8 per cent from 483.9 million in 2020.
Emissions from the electricity sector fell by 4.2 per cent due to an increase in renewable energy but were offset by increases in transport and manufacturing emissions as travel increased.
Agriculture emissions increased 4.2 per cent as the industry continued to recover from drought.
Chris Bowen, the minister for climate change and energy, said the data reflected the former Coalition government’s failure on climate policy.
“Their failure to deliver proper climate policy over a decade undermines the great strides in emissions reduction made through household solar, the Renewable Energy Target and state-based renewable schemes in the electricity sector over recent years,” he said in a media release.
“Good climate and energy policy is good economic policy — it doesn’t rely on recession and drought for short term and temporary emissions reduction.”
Compared to 2005, the benchmark for Australia’s emissions reduction targets, emissions were down 21.4 per cent.
The new Labor government has committed to cutting emissions by 43 per cent from the 2005 levels by 2030. (ANI/Xinhua)