Australia’s uncertain progress to net zero

The “Annual climate change statement 2023” fails to meet some of the reporting requirements of the Climate Change Act 2022. This will disappoint regional members of Parliament, and the independents who proposed some of the requirements.

The Climate Change Authority’s “2023 review of the national greenhouse and energy reporting legislation” recommended phasing out Method 1 estimates of fugitive methane emissions, most urgently for open cut coal mining. A broad review of emission measurement methods is needed for all industries.

The Authority’s “2023 review of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011” considers that the attributes of different types of sequestration should align with the nature of the emissions being offset. We suggest that offsets be at least “climate neutral”, in that the cooling provided by the offset each year should be no less than the warming from the emissions being offset.