Some good news for a change: Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions are set to fall
Some good news for a change: Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions are set to fall, The Conversation, October 24, 2019 Andrew Blakers, Professor of Engineering, Australian National University, Matthew Stocks, Research Fellow, ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science, Australian National University
For the past few years, Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions have
headed in the wrong direction. The upward trajectory has come amid overwhelming evidence that the world must bring carbon dioxide emissions down. But the trend is set to change.
In a policy brief released today, we predict that Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions will peak during 2019-20 at the equivalent of about 540 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
After a brief plateau, we expect they will decline by 3-4% over 2020-22, and perhaps much more in the following years – if backed by government policy.
The peak will occur because Australia’s world-leading deployment of solar and wind energy is displacing fossil fuel combustion. Emissions from the electricity sector are about to fall much faster than increases in emissions from all other sectors combined.
This is a message of hope for rapid reduction of emissions at low cost. But we cannot rest on our laurels. If renewable energy deployment stops or slows, emissions may rise again.
Australia: a renewables superstar
Deployment of solar and wind energy is the cheapest and quickest way to make deep emissions cuts because of its low and falling cost. Higher deployment rates would yield deeper emissions cuts, but this requires supportive government policy.
Wind and solar constitute about
two-thirds of global net new electricity capacity. Gas, hydro and coal comprise most of the balance. Solar and wind comprise virtually all new generation capacity in Australia because they are cheaper than alternatives.
Australia: a renewables superstar
Deployment of solar and wind energy is the cheapest and quickest way to make deep emissions cuts because of its low and falling cost. Higher deployment rates would yield deeper emissions cuts, but this requires supportive government policy.
Wind and solar constitute about
two-thirds of global net new electricity capacity. Gas, hydro and coal comprise most of the balance. Solar and wind comprise virtually all new generation capacity in Australia because they are cheaper than alternatives……..
The emissions road ahead
Continued rapid deployment of solar and wind requires that governments enable construction of adequate electricity transmission and storage.
State governments should also continue efforts to establish
renewable energy zones, with or without cooperation from the federal government. These zones would be located where there is good wind, sun and pumped hydro energy storage, bringing sustainable investment and jobs to regional areas.
In the longer term, solar and wind can cut national emissions by two-thirds. Beyond the electricity sector, this involves electrifying motor vehicles, residential heating and cooling and industrial heating. National emissions could be cut by another 10% by stopping exports of fossil fuels, which creates fugitive emissions.
October 29, 2019 -
Posted by Christina Macpherson |
AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming
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