Queensland worst state for emissions
Thu 22 May 2008
Sasha Pcino, Journalism
Sunshine Coast Environmental Council general manager Ian Christesen says Australia is rated 16th in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
The main causes of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia are stationary energy, energy and transport according to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2007 research.
The ABS said although Australia accounted for only 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, its emissions per person were high compared with other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.
Mr Christesen said the worst state in Australia for emissions was Queensland.
The ABS said Australia’s high emissions per person were due to high coal usage for electricity generation, the energy intensive aluminium sector and the reliance on vehicles for transport.
The ABS research showed greenhouse gas emissions from stationary energy, which includes electricity generation and fuel combustion, increased 42.6 per cent from 1990 to 2005.
Greenhouse gas emissions from energy had a 36.3 per cent increase.
The ABS said the increase was partly due to a population rise, household incomes and export increases.
But to decrease such high greenhouse gas emissions from energy Australia needs to embrace clean coal and renewable energies.
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Water Senator Penny Wong said about 80 per cent of Australia’s electricity generation came from coal.
“Clean coal, carbon capture and storage has to be part of any response to climate change in this nation … that's why we have a range of commitments on that front including a $500 million national clean coal fund,” she said.
Mr Christesen said $31 million had been pledged to support the coal industry with unproven clean coal.
He said about $9 billion of tax payer subsidies went to fossil fuels annually and the mining industry received $1.2 billion from diesel rebates.
“The coal and mining industries do not need tax payer funded handouts,” he said.
Mr Christesen said the money should go to renewable energy and public transport.
In an Australian Government media release the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett, said the Labor Government would fund the Solar Homes and Communities Plan with $25.6 million in 2008 and 2009.
But Mr Christesen said in effect there was no money for renewable energy and paybacks for solar energy were being scuttled.
“The federal and state government have had numerous opportunities to kick start a solar energy industry in Australia and every time they’ve fallen,” he said.
“Germany has 300,000 solar rooves and Japan has 250,000 solar rooves.
“We are the sunniest place on the planet and have not embraced the industry.”
Another major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions was transport.
ABS statistics showed greenhouse gas emissions from transport increased by 29.9 per cent from 1990 to 2005, with the road being the main offender.
The ABS said the increase was also because of a rise in population, household incomes and the number of vehicles.
Mr Christesen said this Federal Government was the only one in the OECD that did not invest in public transport.
He said there needed to be a viable public transport system.
“In many cases the alternatives aren’t there or they simply aren’t attractive enough,” Mr Christesen said.
He said the escalating cost of oil would continue and people needed an available alternative to cars.
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