The Australia Institute, in conjunction with Pitt&Sherry produce the CEDEX monthly. The CEDEX is the benchmark indicator for Australia’s carbon emissions and an up to date snapshot of vital data from the energy sector. CEDEX has been providing a comprehensive and early indication of key GHG and energy trends in Australia since 2009 and is

Economic assessment has been at the centre of controversial planning decisions on mining and coal seam gas projects in New South Wales (NSW) for several years. The Australia Institute welcomes the efforts of the NSW Government and NSW Department of Planning and Environment to improve the standard of economic assessment.

A new report by The Australia Institute outlines a solution to the twin problems of incentives for retirement of coal fired generation and funding rehabilitation liabilities.

A new report by The Australia Institute shows that local businesses in unconventional gas regions in Queensland believe that gas development led to deterioration in their finances, local infrastructure, social connections and labor force skills.  The analysis of mostly gas industry funded research also highlights survey results by the CSIRO that found less than a

The Australian government has recently approved Adani’s Carmichael coal project. If built, it would be the biggest coal mine in Australia. This briefing note puts the vast scale of Carmichael into context.

The Australia Institute has made a submission on the Environmental Impact Statement of the Bylong Coal Project, a proposed new thermal coal mine located south of the Hunter Valley in NSW.  The economic assessment of the Bylong Coal Project is not suitable for decision making purposes. It lacks transparency, is based on flawed methodologies and

New polling shows strong support for a moratorium on new coal mines in two of the safest Liberal seats in the country.  The ReachTEL poll of 694 residents in Wentworth and 679 in North Sydney was conducted in the wake of an open letter, signed by 61 prominent Australian’s, called for a global moratorium on

A new report by Richard Denniss, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute, identifies an emerging economic risk of building ‘too many coal mines’. The report examines the potential economic harm flowing that a major expansion and construction of new coal mines can result cause, including: Lower coal prices associated increased supply (and associated reductions in

Too Close for Comfort : How the coal and gas industry get their way in Queensland. Examines the relationship between the Queensland Government and the fossil fuel industry. The report reveals a pattern of secrecy, a lack of accountability and transparency and a fast moving revolving door between the highest level of the bureaucracy and government, where political

The Australia Institute, in a new partnership with engineering consultants Pitt & Sherry, will now be publishing the highly regarded Carbon Emissions Index (CEDEX) report. The CEDEX is the benchmark indicator for Australia’s carbon emissions and an up to date snapshot of vital data from the energy sector. The new CEDEX report will now, for the

The Airly Coal Mine project is a small, underground mine in the Capertee Valley, north of Lithgow, NSW. It is currently being assessed by the NSW Planning Assessment Commission (PAC). The economic assessment of the project is highly unreliable and its conclusion that the project would provide economic net benefit to the state has no

In 2015 the federal government gave $4b in subsidies to the mining and fossil fuel industry, in the previous six years the Australian government has spent $17.6b in support for these industries. Over 75% of the people agree that fossil fuel subsidies should be redirected to essential services.  

The Australia Institute has made a submission on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Abbot Point Growth Gateway Project. The EIS economic assessment is based on flawed economic analysis and ignores the most important economic questions around the project – is it likely to proceed and if so, is it in the

The NSW Government is currently accepting submissions on how to establish a community benefits fund from the potential development of a coal seam gas (CSG) industry in the state. A Discussion Paper has been published by the Division of Resources and Energy. The Australia Institute has written extensively on the economics of gas in Australia.

The Planning Assessment Commission for the Mt Thorley-Warkworth Continuation Project (Warkworth Project) has requested further submissions relating to a proposal to change the State Environmental Planning Policy (mining, petroleum production and extractive industries) (Mining SEPP). The current Mining SEPP requires consent authorities to give the “significance” of a resource the greatest weight in their assessment

The Australia Institute made a submission to the September 2015 Planning Assessment Commission hearing on the Springvale coal mine extension proposal. Key points: Economic assessment of the project fails to comply with NSW government guidelines and widely-accepted professional standards. No indication is provided as to the financial viability of the mine, making all claimed economic

This research was supported by funding from The Australia Institute and other groups, and conducted by the University of Melbourne Energy Institute. Dramatic changes in the eastern-Australian gas market are prompting projections of sharp declines in domestic gas demand. Data from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) indicate that gas demand in eastern Australia peaked

The North East Gas Interconnector (NEGI) is a proposed gas pipeline between the Northern Territory and the eastern states. The project is strongly endorsed by gas companies, the Territory government and governments in other states, but analysis is lacking as to the actual benefits to Territorians and the rest of Australia.While there is a shortage

Details from a forthcoming Australia Institute Report  Since the EPBC Act commenced in July 2000, there have been approximately 5500 projects referred to the Minister under the environmental impact assessment provisions. Of the 5500 referred, around 1500 have been assessed as requiring formal assessment and approval. 12 projects have been refused approval. 9 projects have

The emergence of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft offer a potentially useful addition to Canberra’s urban transport options. Canberra faces unique transport challenges. Car ownership rates are higher in the ACT than in most states, despite almost all of the population living in the Canberra urban area. But with population predicted to almost double

The South Australian government has launched a royal commission into the nuclear fuel cycle, and whether it is desirable to expand the industry, perhaps into power generation, fuel enrichment, and waste storage. The Commission is accepting submissions on four issues papers relating to: 1)    Exploration, mining and milling nuclear material 2)    Processing and manufacture of

A Renewable Energy Target (RET) of 50 per cent by 2030 is likely to put downward pressure on electricity prices. There is a large body of research, using a number of different methods, that has looked at the effect of the RET’s 2020 target on electricity prices. They have broadly come to same conclusion. Higher

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Environment and Planning Committee of the Victorian Legislative Council Inquiry into Unconventional Gas in Victoria. Our submission addresses three myths of Australia’s unconventional gas industry: That there is a gas shortage That expanding gas supply will reduce Australian gas prices That gas development creates lots of jobs

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Planning Assessment Commission for Newcastle’s Terminal 4 coal project. We oppose the Terminal 4 project. For the project’s capacity to be utilised an increase in the rate of coal extraction in NSW is required beyond the continuation and replacement of existing mines. Such increases are unlikely to

The Australia Institute made a submission to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment’s Integrated Mining Policy during its exhibition period. A problem with the NSW planning system relating to mine assessment in recent years has been economic assessment. There are two areas in need of reform: The quality of economic assessment and enforcement of

The Australia Institute made written and in-person submissions to the Planning Assessment Commission on Shenhua’s Watermark coal project in June 2014. The economic and agricultural assessment in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Watermark project is flawed. It is based on biased modelling techniques and ignores the risks the project presents to the region’s

The Australia Institute made a presentation to the Planning and Assessment Commission for the Warkworth Continuation Project in Singleton on December 18 2014. Independent assessment has shown several times that the benefits of the Warkworth Project do not outweigh its considerable environmental and social costs. Judges, peer reviewers and the wider community have found deep

Power Down, Australia Institute Paper 14, analysed the changes in electricity demand in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) between 2006 and 2013. Since 2010, electricity demand has been characterised by an entirely unprecedented steady fall in the total quantity of electricity consumed each year. Power Down concluded that a number of different factors had contributed

Since 2007, The Climate Institute has produced Climate of the Nation research, which captures the nation’s pulse on climate change, its impacts and solutions. This year’s results show increasing awareness of the cause and impacts of climate change, strengthening support for renewable energy and carbon pollution regulation, and a greater call for government action. 

The Howard Government decision in 2001 to cut indexation has cost the budget more than $46 billion in tax revenue to date. If no change is made the total cost to the budget is projected to top $160 billion by 2025. Additional carbon dioxide emissions attributable to the policy are projected to reach 16 million