2 March 2021, Renew Economy: ustralia shifts emissions baseline again, as Covid-carbon rebound begins.
Despite 2020 being a record year for renewable energy output in Australia, total emissions have begun a steady increase again as the impacts of a fossil-heavy COVID19 recovery begins to hit the emissions data. A new release from the government’s Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) shows that emissions have begun their inevitable climb as the country’s economy begins to recover from the impacts of the Covid19 lockdowns of 2020. What the data clearly show is that Covid19 changed the emissions ‘tug of war’, as falling transport emissions and reduced global demand for Australia’s fossil exports tilted it towards a reduction. Covid19 recovery means back to business as usual, with flat-lining quarterly emissions. Of course, a flat line isn’t neutral: greenhouse gas emissions continue to accumulate. An overflowing bathtub isn’t in a steady state if the tap isn’t opening further – the flow needs to stop. Read more here