According to a recent study by the Australian Human Rights Institute at the University of New South Wales, Australia’s export of coal and gas significantly impacts global climate change, surpassing all countries except Russia. The report highlights that by 2035, emissions from Australia’s fossil fuel exports could increase by up to 50%.
Australia is a major global player in fossil fuel production and exportation. In 2022, it was the world’s seventh-largest producer of fossil gas and the fifth-largest producer of coal. Despite producing more fossil fuels than it consumes domestically, Australia ranks as the second-largest global exporter of both coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Qatar and the US also play significant roles in LNG exports, while Indonesia is a major coal exporter.
Kazakhstan ranks 11th on the list of countries where environmental pollution is heightened by energy resource exports. The United States and Indonesia follow closely in third and fourth places due to their greenhouse gas emissions, with Saudi Arabia in fifth primarily due to its oil exports.
The report projects that fossil fuel exports from Australia will continue at current levels until at least 2035, as the country continues to approve new coal and gas projects. Since 1961, emissions from these exports have totaled approximately 30 billion tons of CO2, with a projected 50% increase by 2035.
Dr. Gillian Moon, lead of the Australian Human Rights Institute’s climate accountability project, criticized the Australian government’s strategy. “The Australian government is pursuing a deliberate strategy that will lead to soaring gas exports and billions of tonnes of emissions, which is inconsistent with achieving net zero targets and scientific recommendations,” Moon said. She emphasized that despite Australia’s high vulnerability to climate change, there are no plans to reduce the impact of fossil fuel exports. “The Australian public deserves transparency about these issues and their potential consequences,” she added.
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