The climate wars are far from over. They will not be over until the fossil fuel industry stops waging them. While their progress has been slowed in recent years, the relentless bombardment of our future by the coal and gas industries continues unabated.

A new research report has found that favourable tax and policy treatment of fuel-guzzling utes and SUVs is driving Australia’s transport emissions. Of the top 10 most popular new vehicles in Australia, five are big utes, compared to only 2/10 in the UK. The new research identifies a range of policy options to reduce Australia’s

The Safeguard Mechanism deal between Labor and the Greens is an improvement on the original legislation but still falls short of what the world’s climate scientists, the United Nations and the International Energy Agency say is required. The package will allow new fossil fuel projects to commence. Importantly, however, it places a cap on emissions

Research released today by The Australia Institute estimates that NSW could have raised an additional $6.2 billion in coal royalties this financial year if it had adopted Queensland’s royalty system. While NSW households and business have been charged more for energy due to the war in Ukraine, the public has missed out on collecting additional

Minister Chris Bowen was today asked in Question Time by the Member for Kooyong why the Safeguard Mechanism allows unlimited access to carbon offsets, undermining any incentive for emissions cuts. The Minister’s response was “I do not accept the premise of the member’s questions. It is the case that the Government is allowing access to

Polling across 5 federal electorates reveals a majority of voters support a ban on new gas and coal projects, and very few support unlimited carbon offsets to expand fossil fuels. uComms were commissioned on behalf of the Australia Institute to poll in the seats of Mackellar, Goldstein, Sydney, Bennelong and Moreton between 9-14 of March

New research shows the pollution from the 116 new fossil fuel projects in the Federal Government’s Major Project list would add 4.8 billion tonnes of emissions to the atmosphere by 2030. This increase in greenhouse gas would be 24 times greater than the 205 million tonne reduction in emissions the Government’s proposed Safeguard Mechanism aims

Over 50 Australian environmental and climate organisations have joined together to call on the Federal Government to listen to scientific evidence on climate change and to prevent new fossil fuel projects and expansions. The open letter, published in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times today, comes as the Federal Government continues

Once again the gas industry is crying wolf and telling us we need more gas to prevent shortages. But if you read beyond the scare quotes today’s report from Australia’s Energy Market Operator report shows we already have more than enough gas.

The importance of gas in Australia’s energy market continues to be overinflated in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s annual Gas Statement of Opportunities. The report, which is based on information from gas industry participants, repeats the pattern of previous years by warning of supply uncertainty and claiming ongoing investment in gas infrastructure is required to meet demand. It

New polling research reveals voters in the Australian Capital Territory overwhelmingly support (63%) a ban on new gas & coal projects in Commonwealth climate law. The overwhelming majority (82%) oppose the unlimited use of carbon offsets to account for polluting projects. A majority (61%) believe it’s more important the Senate works to improve climate legislation,

Just as the recent economic policy debate about tax breaks for multimillionaire superannuants has been overshadowed by sensationalist tabloid journalism (instead of what constitutes a dignified retirement), now the debate about climate policy risks being dominated by history wars and partisan politics – instead of what the science has been telling us for decades.

100+ Australian scientists & experts have published full-page open letters in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the Hobart Mercury calling on the Federal Government to listen to the scientific evidence on climate change and to prevent new fossil fuel projects and expansions. It comes as the Government continues negotiations with the Senate crossbench

Carbon credits are a core pillar of Australia’s climate change strategy. However, depending on offsets to meet emission reduction goals is mathematically impossible and a recipe for climate disaster.

New research reveals that climate and energy policy in Australia is driving investment towards carbon credits of questionable integrity and away from investment in renewables and genuine decarbonisation of industry. Official data shows that investment in new renewable energy generation in Australia has declined by 50% compared to 2018, while the volume of carbon offsets

When a mining magnate is backing a more credible decarbonisation policy than some climate groups, it’s a sign of just how degraded Australia’s climate debate has become.

The Australia Institute has filed a complaint with the ACCC on the basis that the Australian Government’s ‘carbon neutral’ certification scheme, Climate Active, may be misleading and deceptive under consumer law. The Climate Active scheme certifies Australian businesses who have offset some of their emissions including fossil fuel retailers AGL, Energy Australia, Origin Energy, Ampol

The enormous PEP-11 gas project off Sydney’s northern beaches is back in the headlines and the timing couldn’t be worse for a federal Labor government trying to rush a new climate policy through the parliament; a policy that does nothing to stop new gas and coalmines being built and doesn’t even stop major polluters increasing their emissions. Labor’s Madeline King must now remake the decision made by our undercover resources minister, Scott Morrison.

Public policy think tank the Australia Institute has welcomed the passage of the South Australian Government’s Motor Vehicles (Electric Vehicle Levy) Amendment Repeal bill, scrapping the former Government’s EV Tax. The bill’s passage comes as research from the Australia Institute shows that interest in purchasing an EV has increased significantly among South Australians. Key Findings:

One of Labor’s key policies to reduce emissions is the Safeguard Mechanism. But how does it work, and how effective is it at actually reducing emissions?