Contribution to global warming by Australia

Annual contribution

The Australian government estimates that Australia's net emissions in 2006 were 576 million tonnes CO₂-equivalent, to which the sectoral contributions were approximately as follows: energy sector, 70%; agriculture, 15%; other forms of land use, 7%; industrial processes 5%; waste, 3%.^[1]

Cumulative historical contribution

See also: Carbon Debt

The World Resources Institute estimates that Australia was responsible for 1.1% of all CO₂ emissions between 1850 and 2002.^[2] In 2000, Australia emitted 16.5444 thousand metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per 1,000 people which ranked 8th in the world in carbon emissions per capita.^[3]

Projected contribution

According to the no-mitigation scenario in the Garnaut Climate Change Review, Australia's share of world emissions, at 1.5% in 2005, declines to 1.1% by 2030, and to 1% by 2100.^[4]

Confounding factors

The import and export of goods confounds equitable measurements of emissions, particularly in the context of endeavouring to reach a global agreement on emissions reduction based on contraction and convergence. Australian emissions are presently monitored on a production rather than a consumption basis. This means that the emissions from the manufacture of goods imported into and consumed within Australia, for example many motor vehicles, are allocated to the country of manufacture. Similarly, Australia produces aluminium for export which requires substantial amounts of electricity which is presently produced by greenhouse gas emitting coal fired power stations. While the aluminium is mainly consumed overseas, the emissions of its production are allocated to Australia. Geoff Carmody argues we need a consumption based emissions trading scheme. ^[5]

Indirect contribution

Australia is a major exporter of coal, particularly from Newcastle, Australia.^[6] The coal is produced from coal mining in Australia. The greenhouse gas emissions in other countries from the proposed increase in coal export capacity of the major Australian ports will greatly outweigh the proposed reductions in Australia's emissions from the introduction of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. While Australia imposes safeguards on the export of uranium, it does not impose any requirements for carbon capture and storage of greenhouse gas emissions of exported coal. Australia thus contributes substantially more to the global warming which, according to the Garnaut Climate Change Review will lead to the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu and the Murray Darling Basin as they have existed during recorded history to date.

Australia is also a major exporter of liquefied natural gas, another fossil fuel.^[7]

See also

• Effects of global warming on Australia
• Adaptation to global warming in Australia
• Mitigation of global warming in Australia

References

1. ^ CPRS White Paper, Chapter 6, page 3.
2. ^ Navigating the Numbers: Greenhouse Gas Data and International Climate Policy, Chapter 6, Figure 6.1.
3. ^ CO₂ Emissions (per capita) (most recent) by country, Fact and statistics, Source: World Resources Institute. 2003. Carbon Emissions from energy use and cement manufacturing, 1850 to 2000, Nationmaster.com, retrieved 2009-11-30.
4. ^ Garnaut Climate Change Review, Chapter 3, Table 3.2.
5. ^ It's no contest - we need an ETS based on consumption, Geoff Carmody Director, Geoff Carmody & Associates, Retrieved 27 December 2008.
6. ^ http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/pdf/table8.pdf Retrieved 27 December 2008
7. ^ http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/analysispaper/global/exporters.html Retrieved 27 December 2008