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Australia Posts Biggest Emissions Drop Outside the Pandemic as Renewables Pass 40%

The government hails the decline as evidence of its policies, facing opposition pushback over feasibility.

Overview

  • Official data show national greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.2% in the year to 30 June 2025, the largest annual decline outside the Covid years.
  • Power-sector pollution dropped 3.3% as expanded solar and wind pushed coal generation lower, taking renewables to more than 40% of electricity across the year.
  • Transport emissions rose 0.3% on higher diesel use and domestic aviation, underscoring uneven progress across sectors.
  • Energy Minister Chris Bowen credited growing renewables and the safeguard mechanism; annual emissions totaled 437.5 million tonnes, 28.5% below 2005 levels.
  • The opposition has intensified criticism after withdrawing support for net zero, while developers cite costs, approvals and transmission gaps as constraints on the rollout needed for 2030–2035 targets.