New research from The Australia Institute has shown that South Australians consider the privatisation of their energy network to be the number one reason for the increasing cost of electricity. Price gouging from power companies was considered the second most likely cause of increasing energy costs, according to the survey. Key findings; –          40% of

New research has revealed that despite Minister Angus Taylor’s claims that Australia’s total emissions are going down, Australia’s total emissions in the past year are likely to have increased, with Australia’s gas and coal industries the significant drivers of those rising emissions. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy

The Australia Institute has welcomed NOPSEMA’s decision to knock-back Equinor’s plans to drill exploratory oil wells in the Great Australian Bight. “NOPSEMA have made the right decision in knocking-back this application. BP and Chevron have already been sent packing and now the other companies lining up to exploit the Bight should take the message and

New research shows Victorian coal power is responsible for around 13% of the National Electricity Market’s gas and coal capacity, but 32% of its gas and coal breakdowns. The Australia Institute’s Gas & Coal Watch initiative finds that Victoria is home to the most unreliable gas and coal power stations in the country, largely due

New research shows that Queensland is set to experience more climate chaos, including more summers with a dramatic increase in extreme heat days – like in Brisbane, where days over 35C would go from a historical average of two per year, to up to 45 days per year by 2090. The report, written by The

New research shows that ongoing investment in renewable energy generation by companies and households continues to reduce Australia’s electricity sector emissions, even without adequate national climate and energy policy. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy Emissions Audit for the electricity sector, analysing the electricity sector over the previous

A broad range of Australian business and industry representatives have written a letter supporting changes to the country’s energy rules that would allow demand response aggregators to enter the National Energy Market. The proposed change would allow companies to pay households, farms and businesses to reduce their use of energy, instead of turning on more expensive

$18 billion dollar gamble on climate action loophole The Government’s reliance on dated carbon credits to extinguish over half of its Paris Agreement target might not be authorised, forcing it to purchase last-minute international permits or drastically reduce emissions to cover huge gap.    New analysis by the Australia Institute identified numerous legal, diplomatic and

62 scientists and experts have signed an open letter to the next Parliament of Australia, calling for whichever party that wins Government this Saturday to make urgent action on climate change a top priority for the 46th Parliament of Australia.  Prominent signatories of the open letter include: Nobel Prize winners Professor Peter Doherty AC and Dr.

The recent modelling of climate action produced by Brian Fisher is a complete outlier compared to an analysis of over 20 recent modelling exercises and Treasury models, according to new research from the Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program. An extensive comparison of 18 recent modelling reports and three Treasury models of climate action in

The electorate of Dawson could suffer devastating climate impacts unless emissions are cut, and climate change is brought under control. The Australia Institute Climate Assessment for Dawson released today has found that, if emissions continue to rise, by 2070 the electorate of Dawson is projected to experience: Up to more than twice as many heatwave

The Australia Institute’s new Climate Assessment for Herbert has found the electorate could suffer devastating climate impacts unless emissions are cut and climate change is brought under control. If emissions continue to rise, by 2070 the electorate of Herbert is projected to experience: A single heatwave could last up to over 50 days Up to

The Australia Institute’s new Climate Assessment for the electorate of Capricornia has found the electorate could suffer devastating climate impacts unless emissions are cut and climate change is brought under control. If emissions continue to rise, by 2070 the electorate of Capricornia is projected to experience: Up to twice as many heatwave days per year

New research from The Australia Institute has found that young voters and their strong interest in tackling global warming could be a significant factor at the next election in South Australia, across both the Lower House and the Senate. More than half (55%) of South Australians aged 18 to 24-years-old ranked policies around tackling climate

New analysis of the new BAE economics modelling by Brian Fisher released today, highlights that it is based on numerous flawed assumptions which cast serious doubt to the validity of the claims contained. Key Findings: Fisher’s results are contradicted by a large economic literature. The Australia Institute has identified 17 reports from the last five

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of Australians about which major party policies they thought would be better for reducing emissions, lowering electricity prices and energy reliability.  “Interestingly, while Labor is very clearly ahead with voters when looking at which major party has the best policies on addressing emissions, Labor also leads on

New research shows that medium to large rooftop solar systems are taking off, contributing with other solar and wind energy to the jump from 10% to 15% of the energy supplied to the grid over the last year. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy Emissions Audit (The Audit)

Unless national action is taken to meet the Paris Target to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees, Australia’s GDP faces a hit of an average of $130 billion per year according to a new briefing note by The Australia Institute. The analysis released today by the Canberra-based think tank shows that the current

New research from The Australia Institute, released just weeks out from the Federal Election, shows that a majority of South Australian voters want the government to mobilise all of society, “like they mobilised everyone during the world wars”, to tackle global warming. The state-wide polling also found that a majority of South Australians support a

The much-hyped ‘North/South divide’ on climate action is a political misconception, according to new research from The Australia Institute. The research shows that the majority of Australian voters across states and poltical allegiance are concerned by climate change, and want the Government to mobilise on the issue, “like they mobilised everyone during the world wars”. Key

One in two Australian voters (50%) support shifting all sales of new vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2025 according to new research from The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program. This research also looks at popular policy mechanisms adopted in Nordic countries which have successfully accelerated electric vehicle uptake. Australia can follow the lead

New research from The Australia Institute shows that 60% of Australians are opposed to drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight, while the rate of opposition amongst South Australians is even higher at 68%. The first ever national poll on the issue found that only one in five Australians, and 16% of South Australians,

The Federal Opposition climate approach announced today has the potential to actually reduce emissions in line with a credible and achievable emission reduction target of 45% by 2030, according to The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program. “Labor’s climate approach has the real potential to actually reduce emissions in line with a credible and achievable

The number of big businesses already moving towards 100% renewables and emissions reduction targets directly contradict Business Council of Australia claims that a 45% target would be “economy wrecking”, according to new research from The Australia Institute.  Key Findings At least 14 BCA members have committed to 100% renewables, including IT giants like Google and

New polling from The Australia Institute shows that more than two thirds of South Australian voters (69%) want to see the state transition to 100% renewable energy by the year 2030. A majority of voters for all parties listed, including the Coalition and One Nation, support the policy. “Renewable energy is extraordinarily popular in South

New research shows that rooftop solar continues to climb and is now generating over 4% of the total electricity however it can’t shield us from rising national emissions especially in the transport sector, which continues unfettered by any federal or state government limits. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National

Dramatic increases in extreme heat days, combined with high humidity present an increasing threat to the health and wellbeing of Mackay residents. The Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative, which uses CSIRO–BoM modelling, shows that the number of extreme heat days (over 35C) experienced in Mackay could increase up to seventy times current levels and that virtually

Dramatic increases in the number extreme heat days (35°C+) present an increasing threat to the wellbeing of Whitsundays residents, and to key industries to the region such as agriculture and tourism. New research from the Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative, which uses CSIRO–BoM modelling, shows that the number of extreme heat days experienced in the Whitsundays

Dramatic increases in the number extreme heat days (35°C+) present an increasing threat to the health and wellbeing of Townsville residents. New research from the Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative, which uses CSIRO–BoM modelling, shows that the number of extreme heat days experienced in Townsville could increase up to thirty times above historic levels and that

The Australia Institute has reviewed economic modelling of climate policies released today by Brian Fisher of BAEconomics. The Institute’s review shows that BAEconomics’ modelling is based on flawed assumptions and its conclusions are not valid. Key problems with BAEconomics model: Does not incorporate rapidly declining costs of renewable energy, storage and electric vehicle. Minimal disclosure