Australia has already blown its 21st century greenhouse budget targets according to a comprehensive analysis of the rate at which Australia is emitting carbon dioxide. The new Australia Institute report shows Australia consumed almost 30 per cent of a 100-year carbon dioxide budget in just five years. The finding is made in Australia’s 21st Century

The Climate Institute has commissioned both qualitative and quantitative market research on the attitudes of the Australian community to climate change and climate change solutions over the past year. This paper summarises research by the Australian Research Group (ARG) and draws on broader market research on public opinion on climate change. This report is the

This paper considers whether the unconstrained growth of the aviation industry in Australia is compatible with reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions to levels that are required to avoid dangerous climate change. To do this, the paper projects aviation emissions over the period 2005 to 2050, compares the projections to likely emission reduction targets in

This paper outlines a radical new proposal to pay rebates to export industries adversely affected by greenhouse gas emission taxes thereby preserving the international competitiveness of energy-intensive exporters whilst maintaining the carbon price signal with the domestic economy. Implementation of the proposal would thus effectively remove the main argument used against the ratification of the

Proposes a new global plan for international action on climate change which would enable all countries to work together to achieve deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions over the next decades.

The tsunamis in the Indian Ocean reflect the issues States are going to face as sea levels rise. 80% of the Maldives are less than one meter above sea level, and if the sea rises 1.5 meters in Bangladesh 17 million people will be affected. The tsunamis that hit these places offer an opportunity’ for

Examines how much emissions abatement geosequestration may be able to deliver, how soon it may be able to do so, what the cost of such abatement may be and how it compares with other energy policy options to reduce emissions. Geosequestration: Supporting on-line material

Reports calculations showing per capita greenhouse gas emission on a comprehensive basis for all industrialised countries which show that Australians have the highest emissions per person of all industrial countries.

Analyses the current levels of spending on greenhouse programs by the Australian Government with a view to relating this spending to the task of meeting the Kyoto Protocol target; comparing the levels of spending in Australia with that of other developed countries; discussing the role of spending on renewable energy technology and drawing conclusions on

The world’s scientists have warned that the nations of the world will need to shift to a low-carbon future in order to avoid dangerous changes to the global climate. Even the Federal Environment Minister admits that Australia will need to cut greenhouse gas emission by 60 per cent or more. This report is ground breaking

A paper that argues that models projecting the cost of emissions abatement (including the IPCC’s own models) do not take adequate account of low- or zero-cost opportunities for abatement, technological changes or the impact of government policies, including a possible carbon tax.

The industry in Australia and throughout the world is dominated by a handful of multinationals that have obtained highly favourable arrangements from governments. This paper analyses the structure, ownership, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions of the aluminium smelting industry to examine the likelihood of its relocating offshore and test the consequences, both economic and

This article explains some of the ways in which regional communities benefit and could continue to benefit from a shift from non-renewable to renewable energy generation, based on the assumption that the decline of non-renewables is inevitable and therefore we should be proactive. Examples show how sustainable energy projects create long term job opportunities and

Clive Hamilton and Hal Turton respond critically to some of the recent claims made in bestselling book ‘The Skeptical Environmentalist’ by Bjorn Lomborg, a Danish statistician who claims to be an environmentalist. They argue that Lomborg’s analysis is both too amateur and too simplistic to be taken seriously.

Climate change is expected to have severe adverse impacts on the majority of Commonwealth countries, especially developing country members. Australia has displayed a callous disregard for the future well-being of the poorest and most vulnerable members of the Commonwealth.