A recent study commissioned by the University of New South Wales’ Australian Human Rights Institute has found that Australia’s coal and gas exports are causing more climate damage than those of any other country except for Russia. The report highlighted that Australia is the third largest fossil fuel exporter in terms of energy basis, surpassing only Russia and the US.
Despite only contributing 1% of global emissions domestically, Australia’s emissions linked to its exports reach about 4.5%. The analysis, conducted by Climate Analytics, outlined that Australia’s fossil fuel exports are expected to remain at high levels until at least 2035, with a focus on approving new coal and gas export developments.
The report emphasized that Australia’s current strategy of increasing gas exports is not in line with international commitments to transition away from fossil fuels, as agreed upon at the Cop28 climate summit. The study also noted that Australia’s fossil fuel exports contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and are forecasted to increase by 50% by 2035.
The Australian Human Rights Institute’s climate accountability project lead, Dr. Gillian Moon, highlighted the need for Australia to address the consequences of its fossil fuel exports, especially considering the country’s vulnerability to climate impacts. Moon suggested that Australia should encourage countries purchasing its fossil fuels to transition to renewable energy and engage in discussions with other fossil fuel exporters on transitioning away from coal and gas production.
The report also underscored the need for global action to reduce emissions from fossil fuels to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement, including a 64% reduction by 2035. It noted that Australia’s continued approval of new gas production and LNG export projects is at odds with international targets for reducing gas use. The study concluded that Australia’s fossil fuel exports pose a significant challenge to global climate commitments and urged the government to prioritize a transition away from fossil fuels.
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