Key points

• Australia’s energy emissions were almost unchanged between March and June 2018

During the second quarter of 2018, continuing gradual reductions in electricity generation emissions were almost precisely offset by continuing growth in emissions from use of petroleum fuels.

• Meeting the Paris emissions target will need much larger than pro rata reductions in electricity generation emissions

There is no evidence that emissions from consumption of petroleum fuels will stop increasing, meaning that pro rata emissions reduction from energy combustion as a whole will require much larger than pro rata reduction from the electricity sector.

• Growing consumption of diesel in road transport continues to drive growth in emissions from consumption of petroleum fuels

New and improved data shows that almost all the growth in diesel consumption is coming from increased retail sales of diesel, meaning diesel consumption by passenger and commercial vehicles, rather than mining, agriculture or public transport.

• Between 2004 and 2016 there was a small reduction in the emissions intensity of passenger motor vehicles, no change in the emissions intensity of articulated trucks, and a marked deterioration in the emissions intensity of light commercial vehicles

Fuel consumption and transport task data from the ABS Survey of Motor Vehicle Use have been used to calculate trends in transport energy efficiency and emissions intensity. The results highlight the need for improved fuel efficiency standards.