Christian Downie, Australian National University and Llewelyn Hughes, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Japan, South Korea and China are all moving away from overseas coal financing. For Australia, the writing is on the wall – the clean energy transition is inevitable.
Natural gas was once widely seen as a bridge fuel to renewable energy. But the industry’s methane leaks make it a larger global warming threat than people realized.
Frank Jotzo, Australian National University and Mark Howden, Australian National University
The world is moving away fossil fuels, and there’s nothing Australia can do about it. Racing to dig up and sell whatever fossil fuels we can before the timer stops is not a future-proof strategy.
Major coal generators say the proposal will help shore up energy supplies. But opponents say it will pay coal plants for simply existing and delay the clean energy transition.
More than ten offshore wind farms are currently proposed for Australia. If built, their combined capacity would be greater than all coal-fired power plants in the nation.
India is expected to overtake China this decade as the world’s most populous nation. That puts it at the heart of the global challenge to beat climate change.
Barnaby Joyce’s pro-mining stance is at odds with the more progressive quarters of the party, and puts the Nationals in a difficult position on global carbon tariffs.
New research found power stations in the Latrobe Valley emit around 10 times more mercury than power stations in the Hunter Valley. The stark difference has a lot to do with regulations.
Hugh Saddler, Australian National University and Frank Jotzo, Australian National University
Renewables form an ever-greater share of the electricity mix. But elsewhere in the energy sector – in transport, industry and buildings – emissions reduction is very slow.