Australia is on track to meet its 2030 climate pollution target, with new emissions data showing emissions fell 1.4%—6.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent—in the year to March 2025.
In that period, 440.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions were recorded, which is 28% below 2005 levels—the base year for Australia’s 2030 Paris Agreement target—and well on the way to reaching the 43% goal.
Across Australia’s two main grids, renewable energy has now reached over 40% of all energy produced in the last financial year. Emissions from the National Electricity Market (NEM) have fallen 1% on the previous quarter in trend terms, reflecting a return to their long-term declining trend.
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Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the government’s climate and energy policies were working to drive down emissions across the economy.
“Our practical policies, including cheaper home batteries, our reliable renewables plan and the safeguard mechanism, are working to drive down emissions across the economy—and we are making good progress,” he said.
“We are on track to achieve our emissions reduction goals if we stay the course and continue to lift our efforts.”
Australian Conservation Foundation climate and energy program manager Gavan McFadzean said, “This is what happens when you set an economy-wide target to cut emissions—it sends a signal that the market responds to.
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“Countries that set ambitious targets tend to increase the speed of their emissions cuts.
High emissions economies like Australia will be left behind in the rapidly growing clean energy trade unless we have a strong 2035 target and the net zero plan to get there.
“A strong science based 2035 emissions reduction target will keep Australians safer from the impacts of climate change and send a market signal that encourages investment in the clean energy tech and manufacturing industries to transition our domestic economy and exports.
“To give Australians and our environment the best chance of holding global warming at the safest levels now possible, Australia really should aim for net zero by 2035, but no less than 80%.”
