Australia is increasingly facing scrutiny for its role in contributing to global climate damage through its significant coal and gas exports. A new analysis commissioned by the University of New South Wales’ Australian Human Rights Institute reveals that Australia’s fossil fuel exports are responsible for more climate damage than those of any other country, except for Russia. This revelation raises serious questions about Australia’s commitment to international climate agreements and its role in the global transition away from fossil fuels.
The study, conducted by Climate Analytics, a non-profit science and policy organization, found that Australia was the third-largest fossil fuel exporter in 2021 on an energy basis, trailing only Russia and the United States. However, when measured by emissions, Australia ranked second globally, overtaking the US due to the emissions-intensive nature of coal, which dominates Australian exports. While Australia’s domestic emissions account for about 1% of the global total, its exported fossil fuels are linked to approximately 4.5% of global emissions, highlighting the country’s outsized impact on the climate.
Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, emphasized the incompatibility of Australia’s fossil fuel export strategy with its international commitments, including those made at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, where nearly 200 countries agreed to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels this decade. Hare criticized the Australian government’s continued approval of new coal and gas developments, which are expected to maintain fossil fuel export levels until at least 2035. He argued that this approach is inconsistent with achieving net-zero emissions and the scientific consensus on the need to reduce fossil fuel consumption.
Dr. Gillian Moon, the project lead of the Australian Human Rights Institute’s climate accountability project, noted that emissions from Australia’s fossil fuel exports have totaled around 30 billion tonnes of CO2 since 1961, a figure projected to increase by 50% by 2035. She highlighted the contradiction between Australia’s domestic emissions reduction targets and its lack of plans to phase out fossil fuel exports, with 91% of coal and three-quarters of gas being exported. Moon stressed the need for Australia to encourage its major fossil fuel customers, such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, to transition more rapidly to renewable energy sources.
The report also revealed that Australia was responsible for 52% of global metallurgical coal exports and 17% of thermal coal exports in 2022. Despite international calls for reducing fossil fuel use, Australia more than doubled its liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity between 2015 and 2020. Only 19% of the gas extracted in Australia is used domestically, with the remainder either exported or consumed by the export industry.
Recent government actions, including the approval of new gas exploration permits off Australia’s west and southeastern coasts, appear at odds with the International Energy Agency’s roadmap, which calls for a significant decline in global gas use by 2035. This surge in fossil fuel exploration, driven by wealthy democracies like Australia, the US, and Canada, threatens to unleash nearly 12 billion tonnes of planet-heating emissions, potentially undermining both national and global climate commitments.
As the world grapples with the urgent need to combat climate change, Australia’s role as a major fossil fuel exporter is coming under increasing scrutiny. The findings of this report underscore the critical need for Australia to align its export policies with its climate commitments and play a more active role in the global transition to renewable energy.