In 2018, the lack of a coherent policy on energy and associated emissions once again caused a political crisis in Australia. But emissions policy can’t just be about emissions and energy. It must also be about what direction to take the whole economy in for the next 25 years.

At 22 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, Australia has the highest per capita greenhouse gas emission footprint of all the western industrialised nations. This compares to 11 tonnes per capita in Germany and only eight tonnes in the UK.

This book explains:

Why Australia’s emissions are so high compared to those of its western peers.
How Australia easily beat its Kyoto Protocol round one emission target without needing to take any proactive measures on fossil fuel consumption or efficiency. How, despite the Kyoto Protocol, Australia has expanded exports of coal and liquefied natural gas in the past 28 years, and is now one of the largest fossil fuel exporters in the world.
Why any emission reductions from reduced fossil fuel consumption in Australia will do nothing for global emissions if the coal and gas are simply exported to be burned elsewhere. Why Australia won’t be able to meet the Paris emission reduction target without dramatic changes to its energy policy.