Stay up to date...

QUESTION ON NOTICE

Question:

23 November 2022

1. According to the December 2020 update, Australia emitted 499 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent to a 5 per cent decrease on 2019. Australia’s grasslands are estimated to be 440 million hectares and native forest 147 million hectares, a total of approximately 587 hectares. It is estimated forest and grasslands absorb between 0.5 and 2 tonnes of carbon per hectare. Assuming an average of 1 tonne of CO2 absorbed by these landscapes then isn’t Australia already at net zero? 2. Can the CSIRO provide a comprehensive roadmap of the work required for Australia to meet a 43% reduction in CO2 by 2030? This roadmap should set out the length of transmission lines, the number of transmission towers, the number of solar panels (for a given wattage), the number of wind turbines (for a given wattage), the number of batteries (for a given storage), the amount of lithium, copper, cobalt, nickel, concrete, and steel etc. needed to build the aforesaid generators and storage. It will need to include the amount of land needed for solar, wind, transmission, and storage products and the biodiversity offsets. Could the amount of CO2 required to build, recycle, or dispose of the aforementioned items also be included. Likewise, could the cost of building, recycling, and disposing of the aforementioned items also be clearly outlined. Biodiversity impacts such as increased tyre wear due to heavier batteries in cars, increased breaking distance on roadkill, impact on bats and birds from transmission lines and wind turbines, and removal of native flora and fauna due to land use should also be clearly outlined. 3. If the CSIRO cannot provide, can it state which department is responsible for maintaining and tracking the roadmap and refer the question onto them? 4. Could the change in Earth’s temperature as a result of Australia undertaking the 43% reduction in CO2 measures please be stated in order to ensure appropriate benchmarking and accountability if targets are not met? 5. Could the CSIRO confirm if every country uses the same methods to calculate CO2 emission and reductions? If not, why not? What guarantees are there under the Net Zero that Australia won’t be disadvantaged as a result of signing up to the Net Zero pledge?

Answer:

Question Number: 235
PDR Number: SQ22-000356
Date Submitted: 23/11/2022
Department or Body: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

1. Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts are the official dataset for tracking progress towards the Australian Government’s emissions reduction targets. The National Greenhouse Accounts are compiled consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Paris Agreement rules and guidance, including Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission estimation guidelines. Australia’s greenhouse accounts are continuously improved to reflect the latest science, and are reviewed annually by an external review team under the UNFCCC to ensure accuracy and consistency with international rules. The National Greenhouse Accounts report on net emissions. This includes the combined effect of carbon absorbed from the atmosphere by plants and soil (for example, as forests and grasslands grow), and emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, from land clearing, fire and decay. The National Greenhouse Accounts reported that Australia had 520 million hectares of grasslands and 134 million hectares of forest in 2020. Across all of Australia’s land, it is estimated that there was a net sink of 39 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2-e) in 2020. This included 72 Mt CO2-e absorbed by forests, and 30 Mt CO2-e emitted from grasslands. The net grassland emissions comprised 6 Mt CO2-e absorbed by grasslands remaining grasslands and 36 Mt CO2-e emitted due to land clearing. The remainder of Australia’s land had net emissions of 3 Mt CO2-e. The National Greenhouse Accounts show that Australia has not reached net zero. The land sink only partially offset emissions of 537 Mt CO2-e from other parts of the economy.

2. Please refer to SQ22-000282 for responses to these questions.

3. Please refer to SQ22-000282 for responses to these questions.

4. As set out in Australia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC): https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/NDC/2022- 06/Australias%20NDC%20June%202022%20Update%20%283%29.pdf, progress towards its 2030 and 2050 targets will be tracked on the basis of net national emissions estimated in accordance with UNFCCC and Paris Agreement rules and guidance, including IPCC emissions estimation guidance. Australia will be held accountable for its 2030 and 2050 targets through both international and domestic processes. Under the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework, Australia will report progress towards its 2030 and 2050 targets in its regular Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR). Domestically, progress towards the targets can be tracked through the Government’s National Greenhouse Accounts: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissionsreporting/tracking-reporting-emissions. Australia is well regarded internationally for its transparent, detailed and timely reporting program for greenhouse gas emissions. These Accounts inform the Annual Climate Change Statement to Parliament, through which the Government is legally required to update on progress towards Australia’s emissionreduction targets.

5. All 194 Parties to the Paris Agreement must regularly estimate and report national emissions and removals of greenhouse gases in accordance with common rules and guidance adopted under that Agreement, including using methodologies developed by the IPCC for emission estimation. Climate change threatens national security, economic prosperity, and our way of life. Australia is one of the developed countries most vulnerable to climate impacts and is already feeling the effects of climate change. Australia’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 is a responsible contribution to global efforts to keep 1.5 degrees of warming within reach and mitigate further catastrophic climate change. Our commitment is consistent with global efforts. To date, 151 countries have a net zero target, accounting for 88% of global emissions, 93% of global economic output, and 89% of the global population.