The Draft Final Report of the Northern Territory Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturingeffectively recommends approval of unconventional gas development in the NorthernTerritory. It does this despite the huge potential climate change impacts of developing ashale gas industry, which this submission focuses on. Development of onshore shale oil and gas fields in the Northern Territory could

The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program has released the National Energy Emissions Audit for December 2017 which shows that Australia’s energy emissions hit another record peak in the year to July 2017, before slight reductions to September. The Audit, compiled by renowned energy specialist Dr Hugh Saddler, provides a comprehensive, up-to-date indication of key greenhouse gas

The Australia Institute made a submission on the Draft Report of the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory (the Inquiry). The submission focuses on Chapter 13 Economic Impacts of the Draft Report and the report by ACIL Allen The economic impacts of a potential shale gas development in the Northern Territory (the

The cost to households of the electricity they use has been a sensitive political issue in Australia for at least the past six or seven years, and seems certain to remain so. That was certainly the case in 2010-11 when the then Labor government was negotiating passage of its package of carbon pricing/emissions trading legislation,

The Australia Institute made a written submission on the latest proposal to re-start the Invincible Coal Mine. As with the earlier proposals, we oppose this project as, in our view, the economic benefits to the NSW community are unlikely to outweigh the environmental risks that it presents. Our key point is that the motivation behind

‘Blue carbon’ refers to the carbon storage potential of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrass beds. These ecosystems can sequester carbon at higher rates than many terrestrial ecosystems and also play an important role in biodiversity conservation, protecting coastlines and coastal economies. Australia founded the International Partnership for Blue Carbon at the 2015 Paris climate

The Styx Coal Project, also known as the Central Queensland Coal Project, is not financially or economically viable and should not be granted any form of project approval. Geoscience Australia has described the project area as “not of economic importance”. Figures presented in the environmental impact statement Appendix 10a – Economic Technical Report suggest the

The Wallarah 2 Coal Project proposes to produce 4 to 5 million tonnes per annum of thermal coal. The project is located on the Central Coast of NSW near Wyong. The proponent is Kores, a South Korean government owned corporation. The Australia Institute made a submission to the November 2017 Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) consideration of the Project. Our

NEM Fossil generation failure in the 2017 heatwaves During the February 2017 heatwave across south eastern Australia, 14% of fossil generating capacity (3,600 MW) failed during critical peak demand periods in South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland as a result of faults, largely related to the heat. Comparative energy technology costs Electricity from new

3600 MW, or 14%, of coal and gas generation failed during the February 2017 heatwave. Report calls for the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) to require “heat safe” back-up for coal and gas plants. New analysis released today by The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program shows that coal and gas failed to provide energy security

The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program has released the latest electricity update of its National Energy Emissions Audit, covering October and November. Written by respected energy analyst Hugh Saddler, the Audit shows that Australia’s energy system is in transition, regardless of the political turmoil the change is creating.

Stopping the NAIF loan to Adani and redirecting it to other industries makes good sense economically, environmentally and politically. The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) is a federal agency that provides concessional finance. Adani has applied for close to $1 billion in concessional finance from NAIF for its coal mine and rail project in Queensland.

Few electorates will be clear winners if the Adani coal mine goes ahead, new research from The Australia Institute reveals. A limited export market means that Galilee Basin coal projects like the Adani coal mine could come at the expense of Bowen and Surat Basin coal projects. A report released today by The Australia Institute

The Australian government appears to be actively soliciting financing from foreign governments and investors towards Adani’s coal mine and rail line, projects it plans to subsidise.

The government has announced that it is abandoned the idea of a Clean Energy Target and will instead mandate what it is calling dispatchable power. This is likely to mean that as more renewable energy is built it will also encourage more coal and gas fired power. What will this mean for Australia’s carbon emissions

The Minerals Council of Australia featured in 1,594 Australian news stories in the last year mentioning coal. This was three times more than iron ore, far more than any other mineral. Yet only 16 of the MCA’s 45 members mine coal at all. Just 3 are entirely focused on thermal coal. The biggest members, BHP

Governments around the world offer incentives to support electric vehicles. Australia does not. This paper examines how we can boost electric vehicle sales – in four proven, low-cost ways. There is a race to transition the world’s massive car fleet to electric vehicles and Australia is falling behind. Technological improvements make electric vehicles more affordable

Most Australians support a Clean Energy Target and they want it to build renewables, including most voters for the Coalition and One Nation. The Australia Institute surveyed 1,421 Australians in September 2017 about whether they supported a new Clean Energy Target. Four in five (78%) said Yes: the Australian government should introduce a new Clean

National poll asked 1,421 Australians about the proposed Adani Carmichael coal mine.  The poll, conducted online for The Australia Institute through Research Now, in late September, before revelations about Adani’s corporate record were aired on 4 Corners on the 2nd of October. More Australians oppose Adani’s mine than support it, and a huge majority oppose

The Australia Institute’s new Climate & Energy Program has released the National Energy Emissions Audit. The Audit, compiled by renowned energy specialist Dr Hugh Saddler, provides a comprehensive, up-to-date indication of key greenhouse gas and energy trends in Australia. “The report finds, disturbingly, that Australia’s annual emissions from energy use have increased to their highest

The Australia Institute’s new Climate and Energy Program has released the Electricity Update of the National Energy Emissions Audit (The Audit*) for September 2017, authored by renowned energy expert Dr Hugh Saddler. The September Electricity Update includes a special analysis of the peak demand events in February 2017 which shows that in addition to coal

The first major report from The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program evaluates the energy policies required to meet Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets set by the Abbott government and pledged at the international climate summit in Paris. The Climate & Energy Program was launched following the transfer of the Climate Institute’s intellectual property