The average number of days over 35 and 40 degrees in Roma has increased annually since the early 1990s. CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology projections estimate that, without climate action, days over 40 degrees could rise from five days per year to 58 days in 2070 and as many as 84 days by 2090. Half of the nights in summer are

Australia is off-track and looks set to miss its Paris emission reduction target. National emissions are rising and the government seems unwilling or unable to agree on credible policies to reduce emissions. The Commonwealth Government has shelved its centrepiece new climate and energy policy, the National Energy Guarantee (NEG). The Large-Scale Renewable Energy Target (RET)

The annual average number of days over 35 degrees Celsius in Gladstone has more than doubled since the mid-20th century. CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology project further increases, with the number of extreme heat days to triple by 2070 – and these projections appear optimistic. Extreme heat will have profound effects on human health,

At temperatures above 35 degrees the human body’s ability to cool itself reduces, making it a common benchmark temperature for occupational health and safety experts, academic and government researchers. Combined with 70% humidity, conditions over 35 degrees are considered ‘extremely dangerous’ by government agencies such as the US Government National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  

Climate change is happening and Australians are concerned about the impacts More Australians accept the reality of climate change than at almost any time since Climate of the Nation began in 2007. Three quarters (76%, up from 71% 2017) of Australians accept that climate change is occurring, 11% do not think that climate change is

The Great Barrier Reef Foundation (the Foundation) does not have a policy to guidethe investment of its undisbursed funding. As part of the $443.3 million GrantAgreement with the Australian Government, the Foundation must design an “investment policy” – however the Grant Agreement is silent on whether the policyshould exclude investing in fossil fuel industries that

The Turnbull Government has argued that the passage of its National Energy Guarantee (NEG) will deliver significant price reductions to consumers, with much of the claimed price benefit coming from the ‘greater certainty’ it claims investors will have were the NEG to be agreed upon by state governments and the federal parliament. However, at the

Australia’s commitment under the Paris climate agreement is to reduce carbon emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. With the announcement of the National Energy Guarantee the government has required the electricity sector to reduce its emissions by 26 per cent. This implies other sectors such as agriculture will also

While Australia debates how to reach our Paris Agreement targets, wider issues such as whether these targets are appropriate and how they might need to be adjusted in the future are receiving scant attention. Australia’s current 2030 emissions reduction target is for a 26-28 percent reduction on 2005 levels. The Australian Labor Party has said

A large national poll of 1,557 Australians, conducted by The Australia Institute, has shown strong support for an increase in Australia’s emissions reduction target to at least 45% by 2030. When asked about the proposal to increase Australia’s emission reduction target from 26-28% up to 45% by 2030: In total, more than half (56%) thought

New analysis from the Australia institute has found that emissions from NT Fracking identified by the Fracking Inquiry would be equivalent to 100 times more than the emissions savings under the Northern Territory Government’s Roadmap to Renewables: 50% by 2030 policy.  Key findings include that NT fracking could result in emissions that: Increase Australia’s total

The number of days over 35oC in Darwin has increased from 5.6 per year to 22.2 per year. CSIRO modelling estimates that without climate action this could rise to 132 days per year in 2030 and 275 days per year in 2070. Such extreme heat would have profound effects on human health, industries and ecosystems.

As Australians face sea level rise, extreme weather and increasing heatwaves polling shows most want adaptation costs to be footed by fossil fuel companies, not ratepayers. The polling also found two third (67%) of Australians (east coast states) believe state and federal governments are not doing enough to prepare for the impacts of global warming.

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

‘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 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 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

When the Climate Institute has closed its doors, The Australia Institute was honoured to be selected to carry forward some of The Institute’s work as part of our new Climate & Energy Program. One of the important initiatives being carried forward under The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program is the Climate of the Nation report on

As Fiji prepares to chair climate talks in late 2017, Pacific leaders are gathering in Suva to consider what policies to push for. One should be a moratorium on new coal mines. Australian government ministers are actively promoting subsidies to the world’s largest new coal mine, Adani’s Carmichael project. When Pacific leaders have called for

**Following the closure of the Climate Institute on 30 June, its significant remaining funds and intellectual property will be transferred to the Australia Institute, to help carry forward the Australia Institute’s climate change-related research and advocacy.** The Climate Institute has now been conducting its Climate of the Nation attitudinal research for more than a decade. It is

The Australia Institute welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Special Review conducted by the Climate Change Authority (CCA) in conjunction with the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC). The Australia Institute agrees with the AEMC that fundamental market reform is needed, and with the CCA that energy efficiency should be a priority. By