Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to take note of document No. 1, the Climate Change Authority's Sector pathways review 2024. The latest quarterly emissions data, horrifyingly, shows that emissions have risen 2½ per cent from December to March. That's even higher than it was in the final days of the Morrison government. Emissions are not coming down, and it's putting a safe climate out of reach. There were 438.4 million tonnes of emissions released in the year to June 2022—the last quarter of the Morrison government—and they sit at 440.2 million tonnes per annum in a quarterly report released with this CCA pathway review, which shows no real progress. In fact, it's higher. Emissions in electricity are up for the quarter and are worrying because increased energy demand was driven by living in a hotter climate. Modest changes to electricity emissions over the year, driven by renewables, is not enough to decarbonise. The government needs to drive out fossil fuels everywhere.

Under Labor, more coal, oil and gas means more pollution. Labor has approved 23 new coal and gas projects since coming to office—23 new coal and gas projects when we are in a climate crisis and all of the science says that we need to be exiting out of fossil fuels and onto clean renewable energy as quickly as possible. But, no, you take the donations from the fossil fuel sector, and—hey presto!—out come the approvals for 23 new fossil fuel projects. It's no wonder that fugitive emissions from coal are up 0.8 per cent for the quarter. LNG exports have driven the largest sectoral increase in emissions, a tragic 23 per cent increase since 2005, and yet still the Albanese government pushes a future gas strategy beyond 2050. Transport emissions are continuing to rise rapidly, with a 2.6 per cent increase. Labor must do more to drive the uptake of electric vehicles and public transport, including more incentives, rapid-charging infrastructure and targets for the phase-out of new petrol cars.

The figures in this report show that at the current rate there is no prospect of Australia cutting its pollution consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5 or two degrees—the goals that were enshrined in the Paris Agreement. And even Labor's weak targets, which blow us out past two degrees, are under threat from stubbornly high gas pollution. Emissions would need to decline an average 14½ million tonnes a year to meet Labor's inadequate 2030 target, with the easiest and steepest cuts occurring right now. Instead, the data shows that emissions reductions have stalled since Labor came into office.

To make these emissions figures worse, the Albanese government is seeking to expand coal and gas past 2050 as part of their Future Gas Strategy and their Future Made in Australia plans. Well, it's a future made for fossil fuels under this government, who said that they were going to take action on the climate crisis. And what have they done? Roll out the red carpet for the fossil fuel megacorporations, who, of course, make generous donations to their political party and to the opposition's political party. Perhaps that's why they've got 23 new approvals for coal and gas projects under this government, who said that they'd be different from the last.

It is getting increasingly difficult to tell the difference between the two big parties in this place, and that is why support for both of your parties is on the wane. People wanted climate action. They acknowledge we're in a climate crisis. They can see the potential and the jobs creation in clean renewable energy. And yet you're on the take from the fossil fuel industry, and the confetti of approvals just continues. Meanwhile, the climate is cooking. We're losing jobs on the Great Barrier Reef. We're seeing agricultural productivity decline. And there are so many missed opportunities.

This report is tragic reading; it catalogues all of the failures and all of the broken promises from this government. This emissions data spells disaster. Emissions are not coming down, and your commitment to coal and gas will see Australia blow any chance of meeting safe climate targets. At this rate, you're not even going to meet your own unscientific climate target, let alone what's actually needed to tackle the climate crisis. Gas is as dirty as coal. Climate pollution from gas is rising. But, instead of cutting it, 23 coal and gas projects have been approved as part of Labor's Future Gas Strategy to run beyond 2050. For shame!