The drop in global carbon emissions is due to the booming clean energy industry, there is a clear path for countries like Australia to grow their economies and cut carbon emissions at the same time.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the nearly 1 per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions in 2015. The Climate Council said the increase showed Australia urgently needed to transition to renewables and justified calls for a worldwide moratorium on new coal mines.
Australia emitted 549.3 mega-tonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide in 2014-15, up 0.8 per cent on the year before but down nearly 3per cent on projections. Emissions increases were recorded in the electricity, transport, fugitive emissions and industrial and power generation sectors and offset only by a strong decline in agricultural emissions.
Also in 2015, the Green Innovation Index: International Edition, put together by Next 10, analyzed and ranked the economic and energy performance of the world’s 50 largest economies, including Australia. The report placed Australia among the worst in world with the highest coal consumption per capita than any other country on earth.
The report of Climate Council in 2015 ranked Australia 45th out of 50 for per capita emissions, only marginally better than gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. It also found out that Australia’s total energy consumption is higher than France, Italy and California despite having a smaller population. And the hits just keep on coming, with Australia also ranked among the worst for energy use (43rd) per capita and electricity use (45th) per capita.
Tip! Learn about the two types of emissions that impact on the environment at GreenVehicleGuide.